The ThunderWolves men’s soccer team was looking to rebound after a double overtime loss to Regis Friday, Oct. 14, when they took the field Sunday, Oct. 16, facing fellow RMAC foe Colorado Mesa University. 
The ThunderWolves are sitting at 3-5-2 in the conference, which currently puts them in sixth place. The ThunderWolves came into Sunday’s game with high hopes of making the playoffs and turning some heads. The Colorado Mesa Mavericks, who currently stand at 3-7-1 in the conference, are in seventh place. Both teams were looking for a big win.
The first half was full of frustration. The ThunderWolves and the Mavericks were finding it hard to get chances to score and it showed. Fouls and more than a fair share of turnovers backed the Pack up against the wall early in the match.
However, they held strong and earned a good chance to find the back of the net late in the first half, but sophomore midfielder Chad Smith’s shot was fired just a little too high from the goal and was easily the best chance for the Pack to score that half. They followed up with another long range effort that, like the first, sailed over the crossbar.
The Pack almost made a huge mistake with just 10 minutes remaining in the first half, when the defender took a free kick deep in ThunderWolves territory. The kick went just 20-yards, straight to a Maverick player and he went in a b-line for the goal, but not before a saving tackle by junior defender Drew Yocom to deflect a potential goal.
Action really intensified in the second half and both teams created multiple setups. The Mavericks started out the half by putting good pressure on the ThunderWolves to score. After a foul by the Pack, they could not capitalize when the free kick was dropped into the box and the shot fired over the goal.
The Pack came back strong and created great chances of there own. Senior forward Robert Kensey broke free and fired a shot that was blocked by the Mavericks diving goalkeeper.
Pack keeper Jacob Blum has been solid between the pipes this season but made a critical mistake when the ball was rolled outside the 18-yard box and was hand balled by Blum. The Mavericks where awarded a free kick inches outside the box, their golden chance to take the lead. Once again, ThunderWolves defense deflected the free kick out of bounds.
Surviving was what both teams were doing. The Pack got through another close call when a Maverick midfielder drove the ball into the ThunderWolves box and bounced off the Pack defender, just trickling past the post.
Scoreless at the end, left the Pack with a Friday night flashback. With three minutes remaining in the first overtime, Blum couldn’t quite get the ball cleared with the pouching effort and fell to a Maverick player who easily finished off the ball and the Pack
