GOLDEN, Colo. – No. 1 Fort Lewis College used raced to a 3-0 halftime advantage en route to a 4-1 victory over No. 11 West Texas A&M University today in non-conference men's soccer action at the CSM Soccer Stadium.

Junior defender Fabian Kling scored on a free kick from 18 yards out on the left side of the pitch to give the defending NCAA Division II champions a lead they would never surrender.

Junior midfielder Cory Dean added two goals in a 1:23 span to ice the victory for the Skyhawks (1-1 overall). Dean headed a deflection by junior forward Joey Madigan at 24:59 and struck again with a beautiful goal at 26:22. Junior midfielder Thomas Hoang back heeled the ball into the box and Dean ran onto the ball at the six and finished past WTAMU goalkeeper Sebastian Furness.

“I think everybody came out a lot quicker today than we did Friday [in a 1-0 loss to No. 18 Colorado Mines],” said second-year FLC head coach Oige Kennedy. “We made a point to go after West Texas early in the game. Corey took note of that and came out flying. He essentially ended the game with those two goals.”

Madigan added an insurance goal at 71:17 when he scored after a crisp passing play that saw both Keane Hamilton and Abdel Becerra receive assists.

“Today was a much improved performance,” said Kennedy. “Everybody to a many played a lot better today than they did Friday. It wasn't a perfect performance, but definitely was a step in the right direction.”

West Texas A&M (1-1 overall) scored its lone goal on a 30-yard free kick from Alfredo Chavez.

Redshirt freshman Nate Bell made two saves for the Skyhawks to level his record at 1-1.
Fort Lewis dominated nearly every aspect of the game, outshooting the Buffaloes 17-4 (11-3 in shots on goal) and out-cornering WTAMU 8-2.

The two teams played a physical affair, no doubt in part to a rivalry that has seen them meet three times in NCAA playoff competition. The Skyhawks defeated the Buffaloes 3-1 on Nov. 15, 2009 in the Central Regional finals, en route to their second national championship in five years. WTAMU defeated FLC in NCAA playoff games in 2001 and 2007.

The Skyhawks travel to Missouri next weekend for games against No. 24 Truman St. and Columbia College. FLC faces Truman St. at 3 p.m. (MST) on Friday, Sept. 10 at Stokes Stadium in Kirksville Mo., and Columbia at 11 a.m. (MST) on Sunday, Sept. 10 at the R. Marvin Owens Soccer Stadium in Columbia, Mo.