UPCOMING GAMES
Friday, October 28
At University of Colorado Colorado Springs | 5 p.m.
Mountain Lion Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colo.
Audio: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
Live Stats: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
Sunday, October 30
At Metropolitan State University, Denver | 11 a.m.
The Regency Athletic Complex | Denver, Colo.
Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/msudenver/msoc/
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/fortlewis/
NOTES
The Skyhawks men's soccer team will play their final games of the regular season at UCCS Friday night at 5 p.m. and at MSU Denver on Sunday at 11 a.m.
FLC is coming off two shutout home wins over Colorado Christian University (W, 2-0) and Colorado School of Mines (W, 1-0). With the wins, the Skyhawks scooted up to third place in the league standings with an 8-3-1 RMAC record (9-6-1 overall).
The six team RMAC championship tournament has been set with the final seedings to be announced on Sunday. The six teams are: Colorado Mesa University, Regis University, Fort Lewis College, UCCS, Colorado School of Mines and MSU Denver. Only three points separated third place FLC with sixth place MSUD.
Elliot Chadderton and
Sean Cleary were named the RMAC Goalkeeper of the Week and RMAC Defensive Player of the Week, respectively.
Chadderton posted eight saves in goal on the weekend with six coming against CSM on Sunday as part of a 0.00 GAA. He faced 21 shots in the two games.
Cleary played 144 minutes at center back, including all 90 minutes against the Orediggers. Cleary led the backline and held the opponents to 21 shots (eight shots on goal) in both games. He helped hold the Cougars to only two shots on goal (five shot attempts), while also scoring the game-winning goal.
Fort Lewis is ranked second in the conference in shots (264), third in goals (32), and fourth in assists (23), points (87), goals allowed (22) and goals against average (1.34).
Salifu Jatta is third in the RMAC in assists (seven), fourth in shots (48) and fifth in points (14).
Churchill Onumonu leads the team and is fourth in the league in goals (seven).
THE SERIES
FLC is 40-9-4 all-time against UCCS and 18-3-3 against the Mountain Lions on their home field. The Skyhawks are 2-4-0 in their last six meetings with UCCS. The Skyhawks last win over the Mountain Lions was Sept. 26, 2014 (W, 1-0).
The Skyhawks own a 34-23-4 record against the Roadrunners and have won four of the last five games, including last year's RMAC First Round matchup at MSU Denver (W, 3-0). FLC edges MSU Denver when playing on the Roadrunners home field, 15-10-2.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTIAN LIONS
The Mountain Lions are currently fourth in the league standings and one point behind FLC with an 8-4-0 league mark (24 points). UCCS is 4-2-1 at home this season. The Mountain Lions have scored 25 goals this season and allowed 22 goals. UCCS have shutout nine opponents this season, but have allowed at least three goals in four games.
SCOUTING THE ROADRUNNERS
MSU Denver enters the final weekend with a 9-6-1 overall record and a 7-4-1 league mark. The Roadrunners have 22 conference points but are only three points away from tying the Skyhawks with 25 points. The Roadrunners entered the NCAA South Central Region rankings this week in sixth place. MSU Denver has netted 29 goals this season and given up 23, while shutting out two opponents. Jeff Belfrage is the second-leading point scorer in the league with 20 points (nine goals, two assists).
MEET THE TEAM
The 2016 Skyhawks squad returns eight starters from 2015 (
Tamino Kroeger,
Laurin Weiland,
Nicolas Perez,
Sean Cleary,
Coleman Kane,
Alex Tillberry and
Malik Badawi). The Skyhawks lost starters
Yannis Becker,
Zac Lawrence and
Austin Derksen to graduation.
This year's squad boasts student-athletes from eight different states and seven different countries (England, Ecuador, Germany, Netherlands, Scotland, Somalia, and Spain). Of the 30-player roster, 19 student-athletes hail from the United States and 11 from international countries.
PRESEAON HONORS
The Fort Lewis College men's soccer team was picked fifth out of 11 teams in the 2016 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference preseason poll. Sophomore defender
Sean Cleary and senior midfielder
Tamino Kroeger were voted to the preseason team.
The Skyhawks finished the 2015 campaign with a 12-6-2 overall record and a 6-3-1 league record, finishing fifth in the RMAC standings.
Cleary was named the 2016 RMAC Preseason Defender of the Year last week. He received several honors as a redshirt-freshman, including being named to the Academic All-District first team, Academic All-RMAC first team, All-NSCAA South Central Region third team and All-RMAC first team honors.
An All-NSCAA South Central Region Second Team and All-RMAC First Team honoree in 2015, Kroeger scored a team high 10 goals in his junior campaign. He started 11 of 15 games he played in and netted three game-winning goals. Kroeger tallied a season high four points in two games last year. He finished the season with 21 points (10 goals, one assist).
NEW DIRECTION
Fort Lewis is under the direction of first year head coach
David Oberholtzer. A graduate of Fort Lewis, Oberholtzer is no stranger to Fort Lewis as he played two seasons for the Skyhawks before serving as an assistant coach from 2009-2012. A member of the 2006 and 2007 teams, Oberholtzer was a part of the Skyhawks NCAA National Runner-up team in 2006. As an assistant coach for the Skyhawks, Oberholtzer helped coached FLC to two NCAA National Championships in 2009 and 2011.
ON THE AIR
The legendary voice of the Skyhawks, John Mahoney, returns for his 12
th season calling Skyhawks soccer games on the air. Mahoney will be reunited with Phil Duke who is returning after a seven year hiatus. Mahoney and Duke will call all Skyhawks men's and women's soccer home games. Fans can watch all home soccer games for free on Stretch Internet and listen to Mahoney and Duke via the free video stream and on the air at KIUP AM 930, 97.3 FM and
www.radiodurango.com.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Skyhawks have qualified for the RMAC Men's Soccer Championship Tournament. The official bracket will be announced Sunday evening.
