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Orediggers fall to MWSU
There’s something about the soccer team out of Wichita Falls, Texas, that seems to bring out the worst in squads from Colorado.
The Colorado School of Mines, riding along on a storybook season, found that out on Sunday as they fell to Midwestern State 3-1 in the second round of the NCAA Division II men’s tourney.
It was a tight affair until the closing moments, when Paulo Teixeira knocked out Mines with a 25-yard bomb from the right wing in the 88th minute to clinch the win. The Mustangs improved to 18-0-2 and advanced their home field unbeaten streak to 32 matches.
“These guys just keep getting it down no matter who we’re playing,” MSU coach Doug Elder said. “These guys have shown a lot of character and really deserve it.”
MSU moves on to its fourth NCAA II national quarterfinal and faces Chico State, which tallied two goals in the final four minutes Saturday to upend Grand Canyon (Ariz.) in the West Region final.
Midwestern State and Chico State square off for a Final Four berth next Saturday at University Soccer Stadium in Chico, Calif.
On Sunday, Midwestern defender Dean Lovegrove knocked in a free kick from 25 yards out to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute of play, and then the Mustangs took a seemingly commanding lead less than four minutes into the second half.
Junior midfielder Casey Hibbs served a cross into the box toward Nathan Fitzgerald and Bryce Taylor near the center of the box.
“Nate was going to hit it,” Taylor said. “But I called him off and it glanced off of the defender’s head and into the goal.”
The Orediggers, who close the season at 17-2-2, took advantage of a misplay on Mustangs’ back line to pull within 2-1 on Baski Baker’s 13th goal of the season just two minutes later.
The Mustangs dominated the opening half with an 11-4 edge in shots taken, but managed just four after intermission.
“I felt like we played too defensively,” Elder said. “But I knew we would get some counter-attacks. We just had to weather the storm.”
For Mines, it was a tough end to a season that saw the team win the RMAC regular season and tournament titles and take a convincing 5-1 win in the first round.
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