Box score

PUEBLO, Colo. — Patrick Markis recorded his fifth straight shutout as Colorado State-Pueblo (6-7-4 overall, 4-5-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) took out eight years of frustration on defending national champion Fort Lewis (8-6-2, 5-5-2) in a 4-0 win today at the Rawlings Sports Complex.
 
“Today we just didn't defend well enough,” said fourth-year FLC head coach Oige Kennedy. “We couldn't take our chances. You have to do at least one side of the game well and right now we're not doing either. Pueblo was a much deserved victor today.”
 
The Skyhawks looked to break through early as Zac Lawrence hit a post in the 11th minute and FLC dominated possession for the first 28 minutes.
 
But a ThunderWolf counter broke the ice when Jonny Sawyer scored the first of his two goals on the afternoon with a 1v1 chance against FLC goalkeeper Ryan Schaul. Sawyer's shot went safely into the right corner of the netting at 28:37.
 
Less than three minutes later, CSUP benefitted from another counter. Matt Marchena played a through ball to Trayson Merritt that Merritt sent into the bottom right corner at 31:10.
 
A Fort Lewis turnover led to Sawyer's second marker of the game, assisted by Rene Chacon, at 54:10.
 
Ryan Hunter closed the scoring at 62:09 off an assist by Alex Marin.
 
Fort Lewis outshot the ThunderWolves 17-12, but shots on target were level at seven. FLC could never solve Markis, who ran his CSUP school-record shutout streak to 516:52.
 
The Skyhawks were without the services of midfielders Aaron Kloer and Alberto Capdepon, both of whom received red cards in Friday's 5-2 loss at No. 1 Regis.
 
The last time Colorado State-Pueblo had defeated Fort Lewis was a 1-0 win in the RMAC semifinals on Nov. 5, 2004. The Skyhawks had gone 15-0-3 against the ThunderWolves since. Fort Lewis still leads the all-time series between the two schools 39-8-3.
 
Today's game had crucial implications in the race for the RMAC playoffs. The Skyhawks fell to sixth place in league standings with 17 points (5-5-2), just one ahead of seventh-place Colorado State-Pueblo (16, 4-5-4). Fort Lewis has never missed the RMAC postseason tournament in the previous 17 seasons the league has sponsored men's soccer.
 
Regis clinched the RMAC regular season title with its 4-1 win at Colorado Mesa today.
 
With five losses in league games, the Skyhawks matched the 1996 squad for most losses in RMAC play in school history.
 
The 4-0 loss was also FLC's worst defeat since a 5-0 trouncing at Midwestern State in the second round of the 2007 NCAA Division II playoffs.
 
Today's loss most likely was the final nail in the coffin for FLC's NCAA postseason chances, as just three teams from the South Central Region will qualify. Unlike women's soccer, the RMAC tournament champion does not receive an automatic bid to the Big Dance.
 
Fort Lewis closes the regular season next weekend when it hosts Colorado Christian (1-15-0, 0-10-0) at 3:30 p.m. Friday and Regis (13-0-1, 11-0-0) at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
 
The Skyhawks lead the all-time series with the Cougars 37-5-2 and have won the past 20 meetings, including a 3-1 win in Lakewood, Colo., on Sept. 30. FLC leads the all-time series with Regis 32-10-5, but the Rangers won 5-2 just two days ago.
 
Sunday's game marks the final regular season home appearance for Skyhawk seniors Derek Freeman, Andy Hoffman, Daniel Wilson, and Kyle Woodson.