CSU-Pueblo’s men’s soccer team was in action again Sunday, Oct. 9, against Colorado Christian University, continuing its impressive season. The Pack won the match 1-0.
The men’s team is currently sitting at fourth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and extended its string of unbeaten matches to five. The Pack won three of its last five games and tied the other two. One of those ties came Friday, Oct. 7, against rival Colorado School of Mines.
Sunday afternoon started off in frustration for the ThunderWolves, who missed several golden opportunities, including a shot just outside the six-yard box that somehow trickled to senior midfielder Robert Kinsey. The wide open chance was quickly turned away by CCU goalkeeper David Ilgentritz.
Ilgentritz made big saves early in the match to keep the Cougars level. When senior midfielder Sean Fitzgerald cracked a shot on the edge of the 18-yard box, Ilgentritz dove to his right parrying the ball just to the side of the goal post.
The ThunderWolves have struggled scoring goals in conference play. They scored just eight goals in seven of the RMAC games thus far.
Fortunate enough for the Pack, they created plenty of opportunities, putting tremendous pressure late in the first half pinning the Cougars deep in their own end. The Pack generated numerous chances only to come up short just each time.
Finally, with less than two minutes remaining in the first half something went the Pack’s way. A perfect cross, played in by a sophomore midfielder, found sophomore Aaron Presnell’s head. The header bounced just in front of Ilgentritz and ricocheted off his fingertips and into the back of the net.
Frustrated by the momentum changing goal late in the first half CCU defender took a cheap foul shot, earning a yellow card just before the halftime.
Coming into the second half it was clear the ThunderWolves wanted to tack on another goal early to render any hope for the Cougars to make a comeback. They had good chances but, like in the first half, it wasn’t dropping in the Pack’s favor.
Although many chances went unfinished, the Pack’s defense played solid throughout the entire game. Senior goalkeeper Jacob Blum wasn’t called upon very often for saves. He did a good job of keeping the ThunderWolves defense organized and tactically sound.
The Pack almost added the icing on top of an impressive performance with a second goal late in the game, when sophomore substitute Patrick Farris-Hilaire’s shot was called back by the assistant referee as offside. The game finished 1-0, improving the ThunderWolves’ record to 4-5-3 overall and 4-2-2 in conference play.
