RSS
Skyhawks edge Orediggers 2-1
Fort Lewis scored in the second minute, added some second half insurance, then withstood a furious rally to defeat No. 8 Colorado Mines 2-1 on Sunday at Dirks Field.
Freshman Kosta Kordistos started the scoring early, slipping a shot past CSM goalkeeper Manville Strand and inside the far post just 1:43 into the game.
“We tried to make sure we had a good, positive start,” said FLC head coach Oige Kennedy. “Last year we had such a bad start against Mines at home, we had something to prove.”
In 2010, Mines scored three times in the first 32 minutes on their way to an eventual 4-2 win at Dirks Field. The Orediggers were 2-0-1 against the Skyhawks in three meetings a year ago.
Fort Lewis dominated Colorado Mines throughout the first half, launching nine shots, including seven on target. Strand answered the call, making six saves during the frame.
The field tilted in the Orediggers’ favor in the second stanza, though, as the preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference favorite peppered the FLC defense with 12 shots.
“In sports, you lose confidence a lot quicker than you gain it,” said Kennedy. “All credit to them. They’re a good, strong team ranked in the Top 10 in the nation — a place they deserve to be.”
Midfielder Aaron Kloer scored what proved to be the game-winner when he headed home a cross from Joey Madigan at 65:34.
The Orediggers were finally able to break through at 72:49, when Preseason Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year Chike Sullivan buried a pass by Tesho Akindele. The score cut the Skyhawk lead in half and ended FLC goalkeeper Ryan Wirth’s shutout streak at 457:34 — one that extended to the 15:15 mark of the 2010 RMAC semifinals and stretched over parts of six games.
Wirth’s counterpart, Strand, made nine saves for the Orediggers.
Although the meeting between the two RMAC arch-rivals doesn’t count in the league standings, there was plenty of enmity on the field. Thirty fouls were whistled (19 against FLC) and four yellow cards were issued (three against the Skyhawks).
Leave your response!