RAPID CITY, SD/GOLDEN, Colo. – With the home portion of the regular season complete, the Fort Lewis College men's soccer team will now hit the road for the final four regular season games beginning with South Dakota Mines this Friday at 6 p.m. and then against #5 Colorado School of Mines on Sunday at noon.
It's a big weekend upcoming for the Skyhawks as they currently sit seventh in the RMAC standings with a 4-5-1 mark and 13 points. The top-six teams make the conference tournament and FLC sits four points back of UC-Colorado Springs at 5-3-2 and 17 points. MSU Denver is just ahead of UCCS at 6-4 and 18 points, Westminster is fourth at 6-3-1 and 19 points, Colorado Mesa and Regis are tied for second at 7-1-2 and 23 points and Colorado School of Mines is undefeated at 10-0 and 30 points. The top-two teams will receive first round byes in the conference tournament and then the three-seed will host the sixth-seed and then the fourth-seed will host the fifth-seed.
The Skyhawks split this past weekend, pulling out a big 1-0 victory over Westminster on an early goal from Bar Hazut. FLC also scored early against Dixie State when Hakeem Rabiu knocked home a header, but the TrailBlazers slowly worked their way back in, tying the game before half and then taking the victory on a penalty kick goal in the second half.
As a team, FLC has 25 goals on 225 shots, with 100 landing on goal. Opponents counter with 18 goals on 137 shots and 58 on goal. Hazut leads the offense with 15 points, recording six goals and three assists. Ty Lang has 12 points on four goals and four assists, Ryan Lee adds 11 points with five goals and an assist and Rabiu is also in double-figures with 10 points tallying three goals and four assists. Lang leads the team in minutes with 1,211, followed by 1,187 from Ventura Salcido and 1,137 from Nicolas Perez. Salcido has played every game in goal this season, starting at 13 and posting a 1.31 goals against average, with 38 saves. He also has three shutouts, most recently against Westminster this past Friday.
As a team, FLC ranks high in several RMAC and national categories including first in the RMAC and 20th nationally in assists per game (2.15), first in the RMAC and 59th nationally in corner kicks per game (5.31), third in the RMAC and 41st nationally in points per game (6.00), fourth in the RMAC and 69th nationally in scoring offense per game (1.92), second in the RMAC and 21st nationally in shots per game (17.31), second in the RMAC and 29th nationally in shots on goal per game (7.69), fifth in the RMAC and 93rd nationally in shutout percentage (.231), sixth in the RMAC and 72nd nationally in team goals against average (1.314), second in the RMAC and 21st nationally in total assists (28), fifth in the RMAC and 63rd nationally in total goals (25), fourth in the RMAC and 42nd nationally in total points (78), sixth in the RMAC and 92nd nationally in win-loss percentage (.538).
Individually, Max Fuentes Carrera, Lang, Perez and Rabiu are tied for sixth in the RMAC in assists per game (0.31). Hazut and Lee are tied for third in the RMAC and 86th nationally in game-winning goals (2), Salcido is fourth in the RMAC and 21st nationally in goalie minutes played and sixth in the RMAC and 82nd nationally in goals against average (1.314). Hazut is fifth in the RMAC in goals per game (0.46) and Lee is ninth in the same category (0.38). Hazut is fifth in the RMAC in points per game (1.15) and Lang is 10th at 0.92. Rabiu is sixth in the RMAC and 66th nationally in shots per game (3.15), while Hazut is seventh in the RMAC and 82nd nationally in the same category (3.00). Rabiu is second in the RMAC and 66th nationally in shots on goal per game (1.62), Salcido is fourth in the RMAC and 63rd nationally in shutouts (3), Fuentes Carrera, Lang, Perez and Rabiu are all tied for sixth in the RMAC and 95th nationally in total assists (4), Hazut is fifth in the RMAC in total goals (6), while Lee is ninth in the same category (5), Hazut is sixth in the RMAC in total points (15), with Lang 10th with 12, Salcido is 10th in the RMAC in total saves (39).
FLC will open the week on Friday against South Dakota Mines starting at 6 p.m. Last year, the teams met for the regular season finale in Rapid City and the Skyhawks won 3-1. Fuentes Carrera, Metzger and Lee all had goals in the game. The Skyhawks held a 16-9 edge on shots and 6-4 on goal.
South Dakota Mines is 2-9-3 overall and 1-6-3 in the RMAC, holding a 2-3-1 record at home. This past weekend they fell in overtime at MSU Denver (2-1) and tied with Colorado Christian (0-0). Their last win came on Sep. 28 at home against Colorado Christian (3-1). During their last home stretch, they tied Dixie State on Oct. 7 (0-0).
As a team, the Hardrockers have 12 goals on 146 shots, with 63 landing on goal. Opponents have 23 goals on 185 shots, with 94 landing on net. Ian DeBois leads the team in points with 10, as he has five goals. Justin Barkow adds eight points with three goals and two assists. Kyle Daledovich has logged the most minutes with 1,234, followed by 1,077 from Cameron Thompson. In goal, Daledovich has started all 14 games and has a 1.56 goals against average, 71 saves and a .755 save percentage.
To close the trip, FLC will face #5 Colorado School of Mines. Last year, the teams played twice within a week, with the Orediggers claiming a 1-0 win in Golden and then a 2-1 win in overtime in Durango. Rabiu scored the goal for FLC in the second game, as it was a close game throughout with FLC holding a 18-17 edge on shots and both teams landing 10 shots on goal apiece. In the earlier meeting in Golden, Colorado School of Mines held a 18-8 edge on shots and 6-1 on goal. The only goal that was scored came in the 71st minute.
The Orediggers are off to a 13-1 overall start and 10-0 in RMAC play. Colorado School of Mines is on a 12-game winning streak and are 5-1 at home. Their only loss came during the second game of the season at home against St. Mary's (4-2). This past weekend they tallied wins against Colorado Christian (5-0) and MSU Denver (2-1) in overtime on Monday.
Colorado School of Mines has scored 38 goals on 303 shots, with 133 on goal. Opponents have scored just nine goals on 135 shots, with 57 on goal. John Haist leads the team in points with 34 and in goals with 15, he also has four assists. Ben Overholt adds 15 points with five goals and five assists. Ford Edwards, Lucas King and Matthew Summerfield all have nine points apiece. Drew Johnson has logged 1,256 minutes, followed by 1,216 from Ryan Wilson and 1,209 from Jason Zobott. In net, Johnson has started all 14 games, tallying a 0.64 goals against average, 47 saves, .839 save percentage and eight shutouts.
Live video and stats will be available for both games.
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