Box score

DURANGO, Colo. — Marco Escobar and Brandon Burton scored goals to lead Colorado Mesa (6-3-1 overall, 4-2-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to its first ever win over perennial NCAA Division II powerhouse Fort Lewis (6-5-1, 3-3-1) today before a sparse crowd at Dirks Field.
 
After the two teams played to a scoreless first half, Michael Bagheri sent a ball into the box that Escobar corralled and sent a low shot just inside the far post that beat diving Skyhawk goalkeeper Ryan Schaul (6-4-1 overall).
 
Shortly after Escobar's fourth marker of the season, Skyhawk head coach Oige Kennedy pulled one of his defenders, Maik Brandt, in favor of Austin Derksen so that FLC could play three forwards and four midfielders. The added offensive power never managed to penetrate the Maverick defenders, though.
 
The result was often three Mesa players breaking in on the three Skyhawk defenders, creating additional scoring opportunities later in the match.
 
Schaul kept the Skyhawks in it by making a sprawling stop on CMU's Nestor Escobar in the 82nd minute, reaching with his right hand to deflect a shot ticketed toward the far post as Escobar broke in one a one-v-one opportunity from the right flank.
 
While Nestor Escobar didn't manage to seal the victory with a goal, he provided the assist on an insurance goal in the 85th minute when he played a ball over the top to set up a breakaway by Brandon Burton. Burton charged in all alone and beat a charging Schaul with a shot at the far post at 84:45 to make the score 2-0.
 
While the Skyhawks managed to outshoot the Mavs 9-7 overall, CMU fired three shots on goal. The only shot on target the Skyhawks managed was a bang-bang shot from close range by Yannis Becker that CMU's Micah Conrads (6-3-1) corralled late in the first half.
 
Both keepers finished the game with one save.
 
With the victory, Colorado Mesa improved to 1-10-1 against Fort Lewis.
 
Coupled with a 3-2 loss to UC-Colorado Springs on Sept. 23, the Skyhawks have now lost back-to-back games at Dirks Field for the first time in a decade. The last time FLC dropped two straight at home was Sept. 13 and 15, 2002, when they lost back-to-back games to Colorado Christian (4-2) and Colorado Mines (4-3 in double overtime).
 
Fort Lewis fell to 1-2-1 at Dirks Field in 2012, with the lone victory coming in a 1-0 defeat of FLC's next opponent, Adams State, on Sept. 21.
 
The Skyhawks and Grizzlies square off in Alamosa, Colo., at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Fort Lewis leads the all-time series with ASU 6-0-0.