No matter the records, a win over Colorado Mines always lifts the spirits.
And the Skyhawks could use a boost right about now.
The Fort Lewis College men’s soccer team, 8-7-1 overall and 5-7-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, will take on the Orediggers, currently the top-ranked team in the South Central Region, at 3:30 p.m. Friday on senior day, its final home game of the year.
The Skyhawks have had an up-and-down season, and things currently are trending downwards with FLC having lost its last two games and four of its last six.
“I think we’ve shown how good we can be because we’ve beaten Regis, who’s lost to just one other team all season, so we’ve definitely displayed a positive side and how good we can be,” FLC head coach Oige Kennedy said. “Unfortunately we’ve had a lot of inconsistency in our performance. That’s hurt us.”
The game with the Orediggers and Sunday’s finale at Colorado Christian, however, mark a chance for FLC not only to finish .500 in the conference but also to hang on to the fifth-place position the Skyhawks currently occupy, potentially allowing them a more favorable matchup in the six-team RMAC Tournament.
“Two things we’ve talked about is making sure we finish above .500 if possible and making sure we finish as high as we can so when we get into the RMAC Tournament, we have a better game and a better route,” Kennedy said.
Then there’s the rivalry aspect of things. FLC and Mines consistently have been at or near the top of the league for years, constantly jostling for position and creating a healthy dislike in the process.
This year, the Orediggers (10-4-1, 8-4-0 RMAC) boast the league’s top scorer in Tesho Akindele, who is tied for first in goal scoring with 14. And despite currently sitting fourth in the RMAC, Mines is atop this week’s South Central Region rankings in a tight battle for NCAA Tournament spots.
The Skyhawks’ record doesn’t afford them such lofty aspirations. But there’s always throwing a wrench in the Orediggers’ plans this weekend to fall back on.
“They’re the team that’s consistently been our rival in the league for the last few years. ... They’re always so up for the game; they’re always going to be competitive no matter what,” Kennedy said.
rowens@durangoherald.com
