GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The #15-ranked Colorado School of Mines Men's Soccer team rolled to a 5-1 victory over Fort Lewis on Friday afternoon in the RMAC Tournament Semifinals at Maverick Field.
 
Five different Orediggers accounted for the scoring as Ryan Wilson, Ian Kugler, Azad Iliozer, Chris Seery and Baptiste Debuire all found the back of the net. Lucas King, Zane Sokolowski, Iliozer and Seery provided the assists. Talon Stanley led all players with three shots while Seery and Iliozer recorded two attempts. Both of Iliozer's shots went on goal. Brian Doherty earned the victory in goal as he and Kenneth Symmes split the game and required just one save between the two. Ryan Lee scored the goal for the opposition and Loic Jean-Baptiste had the assist.
 
Mines (6-0-1) scored four of its five goals in the first half while Fort Lewis (5-3-1) did not find the back of the net until the 68th minute. Overall, the Orediggers finished the match with a 13-4 advantage in total shots. Mines also put seven of its shots on goal while Fort Lewis only had two attempts on frame. The Skyhawks tallied two saves while the Orediggers only had one save. Corner kicks and fouls came out relatively even. With the win, Mines advances to the RMAC Tournament Championship match on Sunday at 6 p.m. while Fort Lewis sees its season come to a close.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Friday's contest opened slowly as both teams felt each other out. Stanley cracked the box score with a shot attempt in the third minute. Iliozer followed up with a shot on goal in the 13th minute following a long run deep into the Skyhawks' 18-yard box. Then, the flood gates opened. A foul and yellow card to FLC 18:26 into the game led to a free kick from King that Wilson finished for a 1-0 lead less than 20 minutes into the match.
 
Mines continued the scoring about 10 minutes later as Kugler knocked home a cross from Iliozer at 28:11. Less than 70 seconds later, Iliozer did it himself on a hard drive and a sneaky shot past Second-Team All-RMAC goalkeeper Peter Byrne to provide the Orediggers a 3-0 lead at 29:18. Seery capped the first-half scoring in the 37th minute thanks to a touch pass from Sokolowski near the top of the penalty area. Seery finished the opportunity and Mines rolled into the break with a 4-0 lead.
 
After four goals in the first 45 minutes, scoring dropped off significantly in the second half, but the goals that did come did so in bunches. Debuire settled a pass from Seery with one touch inside 15 yards of the goal and put Mines ahead, 5-0, at 67:35. Fort Lewis quickly responded with sharp ball movement and a goal from Lee at 67:46. That capped the scoring, but each team did receive one more caution apiece before the final horn sent the Orediggers into the championship match.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 23-30-8 in the series against Fort Lewis since joining NCAA Division II in 1992.
- The Orediggers finished the 2020-21 season with a perfect 3-0-0 record against Fort Lewis and an overall scoring margin of 7-1.
- Friday's win marks Mines' fourth consecutive trip to the RMAC Tournament Championship match.
- Iliozer improved his standing as the Orediggers' leading scorer with four goals and four assists this season.
- Seery's goal against the Skyhawks was his second of the season while Debuire put in his first tally of 2020-21.
- Kugler and Wilson also both notched their first goals of the season in Friday's victory.
- Sokolowski's assist was the first collegiate point of the true freshman's career.
- Head Coach Greg Mulholland remains undefeated in the RMAC Tournament and is 56-10-7 in four seasons leading the Mines men's soccer team.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
Mines faces the winner of the other semifinal match between #10-ranked Colorado Mesa and Regis. The two winners face off on Sunday at 6 p.m. in the RMAC Tournament Championship match at Maverick Field in Grand Junction, Colo. Fans are allowed up to 25-percent capacity with tickets available online. Live stats and video will also be linked at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men's soccer on Twitter at @MinesMSOC. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.