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Cole Wood at West Texas A&M
Charles Johnson
Cole Wood (27) collects the ball against the Buffaloes down at The Pitch (Sep. 15, 2024)

No. 18 Fort Lewis to host No. 9 CSU Pueblo in top 25 showdown

9/25/2024 12:00:00 PM

By: Hayden Mangan, Assistant AD-Communications & Fan Engagement
DURANGO, Colo. – It will be a clash of conference titans on Thursday night as the No. 18-ranked Skyhawks (3-0-3) welcome the No. 9-ranked ThunderWolves (5-1) for a 6:00 p.m. prime-time and non-conference match under the lights of Dirks Field.
 
The Basics
Opponent: No. 9 CSU Pueblo
Date: Thursday, Sep. 26
Time: 6:00 p.m. MST
Location: Durango, Colo.
Stadium: Dirks Field
Series Overall: Skyhawks lead 50-12-4
Series at Fort Lewis: Skyhawks lead 29-5-2
Series Streak: CSU Pueblo has won +1
Last Meeting: CSUP won, 2-0 (Nov. 10, 2023)
Broadcast: RMAC Network
Live Statistics: Sidearm
Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing
 
White Out Weekend
Thursday night's match will mark the start of White Out Weekend, presented by Morehart Murphy Regional Auto Center. Fans are encouraged to dress in their all-whites, and in addition, the first 50 fans at Thursday's match can pick up a special-edition white-out shirt for the weekend.
 
All About Grit
Despite some shifting in the Skyhawks lineup on the pitch, Fort Lewis has found ways to battle back to favorable results. While opponents have scored the opening goal in all three draws this season, FLC has found a way to equalize each match. Last week, Simon Fraser (1-3-2) ran out to an early 1-0 lead, but freshman Theo Bergman equalized in the 66th minute to avoid the loss. In last Saturday's late-night match, it was a freshman once more as Fabrizio Aguilera would register back-to-back goals in the 88th and 89th minutes to overcome a two-score deficit and tie Montana State Billings (1-2-3), 1-1.
 
It Takes a Village
This season, junior David Citron has stepped up and leads the squad with a pair of goals and four assists for eight total points on the year. In addition, Citron ranks second in the league in assists and is tied for second in total points. Senior Tomas Duenes trails Citron with two goals and two assists, while Aguilera is the only additional Skyhawk to record two goals. Fifth-year senior Gabriel Legendre and junior Casey Stracher have each supplied a goal and an assist with six other players having tallied either one goal or one assist. In total, 11 different Skyhawks have provided a point this season.
 
A Historic Run
CSU Pueblo, over the past three years, has put together one of the most respectable resumes in collegiate soccer. The ThunderWolves have amassed a 42-10-5 record, captured two straight Super Regional Championships, and have made back-to-back appearances in the NCAA National Championship. Since his arrival in Pueblo, head coach Oliver Twelvetrees has amassed an overall record of 61-18-9 and coached four All-Americans.
 
High-Powered Offense
This season, The Pack are averaging 2.00 goals per game while limiting opponents to 0.50 goals per game, a mark that's good for the 15th-best goal differential in DII (+9). Senior Caio Olivera, a 2023 D2CCA First-Team All-South Central Region selection, leads the roster and the conference with three goals and six assists on the season for 12 total points. Two-time All-American Shjon Andrews has added three goals as well with six individual ThunderWolves supplying another goal each. In addition, CSUP is averaging 13.0 shots per game with a 47.4 percent shots-on-goal percentage while limiting opponents to just 4.3 shots per game.
 
Looking Ahead
Another near-top 25 match is set for this Sunday, Sep. 29, as the Skyhawks travel to Grand Junction, Colo., for a 3:00 p.m. match against the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa (3-1-1), who received votes on the United Soccer Coaches top 25 poll, at Community Hospital Unity Field.
 
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