Box Score

WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Fort Lewis College head coach Damian Clarke knew his tenth-ranked Skyhawks were explosive. He just didn't expect to see so much offense so quickly in the season.
 
“We're just dangerous,” he said after Fort Lewis (1-0 overall) opened its season with a 3-0 drubbing of Midwestern State at the MSU Soccer Field.
 
“When we're in the attacking third, we're making some really good decisions,” the sixth-year Skyhawk skipper added. “We're a little more potent than we were in the past in terms of scoring goals. We aren't keeping the ball as well as we'd like and we will, but it's still good to learn from a win rather than learn from a loss. We still haven't played that well.”
 
Sophomore sensation Sam Weiss opened the scoring just 13:44 into the match when she was set up by freshman Brooke Milliet.
 
“Sam's goal, she just kind of manufactured it,” said Clarke. “She was probably about 17 or 18 yards out and just bent it around the goalpost.”
 
The Skyhawks struck again when junior striker Emma Cannis scored at 41:10 off what Clarke called a beautiful assist by Allison Knewitz. “KK's (Knewitz's) assist was just an awesome combination. She got to the end line and whipped it across and Emma finished it.”
 
Weiss was also awarded an assist on the second marker.
 
A through ball by junior midfielder Megan Striedel freed Weiss in the 81st minute to account for the final 3-0 margin.
 
Clarke sung the praises of his dynamic offensive duo of Weiss and Cannis. “Those two combine really well. That's an All-American center back that they tore apart today and the goalkeeper is all-region.”
 
The lone black eye for the Skyhawks was literally a black eye. Freshman goalkeeper Caitlyn Espinosa was involved in a collision in the 26th minute and had to be relieved by FLC's 2011 starting goalkeeper, Amanda Raso. Since Espinosa left the game with a 1-0 lead (she made one save in 25:39 of action), she was awarded the victory. Raso pitched 64:21 of scoreless relief, stopping the lone Mustang shot on goal she faced.
 
All totaled, Fort Lewis outshot Midwestern State 17-3, although shots on frame were relatively close with FLC holding a 5-2 advantage.

Fort Lewis improved to 2-3-1 all-time against the Mustangs.
 
The Skyhawks face Texas A&M-Commerce at 11 a.m. MDT Sunday at the MSU Soccer Field. The Lions opened their season with a 2-0 over Ouachita Baptist yesterday. 

Texas A&M-Commerce is 2-0 all-time against the Skyhawks, but the teams haven't met since 2001.