GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team was back in action Saturday night under the lights at Stermole Stadium for their second home match of the week against a team from the Evergreen State in Seattle Pacific. For the Orediggers (2-2-2), a pair of second half goals proved to be the difference in a physical, rain-soaked affair with the Falcons (0-3-2) as they got back in the win column with a 2-0 win.
 
Seattle Pacific recorded the first shot of the night in ninth minute, but it was Mines who proved to be the aggressor early, mustering four shots in nearly as many minutes that followed but had nothing to show for the effort despite several quality looks.
 
Brian Doherty turned back the Falcons in the 19th minute when he saved a shot from Alden Massey to preserve the score as both sides continued to look for the first goal of the night. As the game settled in, chances didn't seem to materialize for either side until the final 15 minutes. John Burnett's shot in the 33rd minute looked true, but ricocheted off the right woodwork. After two shots from SPU, Ian Kugler had a pair of shots in succession, but one was blocked by the defense before the second-chance look was corralled but sailed high right as the half ended with no score.
 
Tristan Semelsberger had the first look of the second half in the 53rd minute but a save by Lars Helleren meant that things would march on with zeros still on the board. Semelsberger got his redemption just about 13 minutes later in the 66th minute. Following an SPU foul in the penalty area, the graduate student from Los Alamos powered the penalty shot past Helleren into the lower right corner for his second goal in as many games to give the Orediggers a 1-0 lead.
 
As play resumed, the intensity ratcheted up, as six cautions were issued to the two sides over the next six minutes of action, with four going the way of the Falcons.
 
Lucas King looked to make it 2-0 in the 75th minute followed a blocked shot by Tommy Jernigan, but it was not to be as the save was made it keep it a 1-0 contest. Another flurry of shots from Mines came in the 81st minute with Michael Sprauer and Semeslberger getting shots on goal but no result from within 10 yards before a volley from Gabriel Rodriguez went wide right of goal.
 
In the 84th minute, like fellow New Mexico native Semelsberger, Sprauer got another shot at goal, heading in a corner kick from Marc Zimmerman to make it a two-goal affair with less than eight minutes to play.
 
SPU managed just one look on goal in the waning moments of action as the Orediggers' defense stepped up to preserve the shutout and get back in the win column with a 2-0 victory.
 
NOTABLES
-Semelsberger now has four goals this season and has scored in three of Mines' last four matches
-Sprauer's goal was his second of the season and second in as many matches
-Mines finished the night with an 18-8 advantage in shots
-Doherty record a save as his defense helped him post the Orediggers' second clean sheet of 2022
-Mines is now 3-0 all-time at home against Seattle Pacific
 
UP NEXT
Mines is back on the road next weekend for a pair of non-conference matchups against RMAC opponents in the first of two meetings against #25 CSU Pueblo Thursday September 15 at 7p.m. before heading to Salt Lake City to take on Westminster Sunday September 18 at 12 p.m.
 
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.