Box Score How It Happened
With less than five minutes left in game, sophomore Nikolaus Grotz blasted in his fourth goal of the season to allow #19 Colorado School of Mines (6-0-1, 4-0) men's soccer to escape with hard fought 1-0 victory at UC-Colorado Springs (4-3, 2-1) on Sunday, September 27 at Mountain Lion Stadium.
Grotz' game winner seemingly came out of nowhere as neither team had much luck threating the other, but at the 85:19-mark Grotz took a feed from seniors Ryan Leach and Chayce Moniz to break the scoreless affair and allow the Orediggers to move to 4-0 in the RMAC.
The first half was largely a defensive slugfest as neither team had a single shot until the Orediggers got the game's first one at the 21:25-mark. From there, the game opened up a bit as Mines outshot UCCS 8-4 and 2-1 on shots on goal. CSM'S two shots on goal came from Grotz (26:00) and senior Richard Garvey (37:49).
The second half moved much to the same script as again both team's offenses found going forward tough sledding. In fact, up until the Grotz' game winner, Mines had only four total shots over the first 40:19 of the second half. The Mountain Lions also were held to four total shots and only two on goal for the entire half.
Notables
- Mines moves to 4-0 in the RMAC for the first time since 2011.
- CSM outshot Colorado Springs 13-8 and 4-3 on SOG.
- The Orediggers also won the corner kick battle 8-4; making it the sixth time in seven games they won that distinction.
- Grotz' game winner was his fourth goal of the season and his third game winner
- The double assist from Leach and Moniz were each's first assist of the season.
- Junior starting keeper Collin Hall picked up his fourth straight clean sheet
Up Next
The Orediggers return to action next Friday, October 2 when Regis (Colo.) comes to Stermole Soccer Stadium for a RMAC matchup at 5 p.m. Mines won at Regis, 2-1, earlier this season in a nonconference tilt.
