GOLDEN, Colo. – Looking to finish off their four-match home stand on a high note, the Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team took their turn as the third program this weekend to take on South Dakota Mines on Sunday afternoon at Stermole Stadium. As it turned out, the Orediggers (4-4-5, 3-2-1) were able to keep good going, winning their third match in a row behind a three-point day from Marc Levin to dispatch the Hardrockers (3-11-0, 1-5-0) 4-0.
 
Coming out of the gates, things were a little slow to begin the first half as it took over eight minutes for the first shot attempt of the day, as the first 24 minutes saw only four total shots, though three came from the Orediggers and two were on goal but saved by Daniel Freitas.
 
Just past the midway point in the period, Mines struck first as a corner kick from Marc Levin out of the east end of the field on the near side found a wide-open Caelin David just outside the top of the six-yard box on the far post, where he was able to collect it and finish with a one-timer off his right foot to go over the head of an SDM defender and into the upper right corner to make it 1-0 in the 25th minute.
 
After play resumed and Caden Allaire made a pair of saves against Parker Yocom, the second Mines goal of the day went on the board in short order, as once again Levin was involved, but this time he was the one scoring. After South Dakota Mines created a turnover, Henry Saunders intercepted the pass up the field and played it back the other way to Levin, who was able to gain the advantage in a one-on-one battle with a Hardrocker defender deliver a strike into the upper right corner past a dive by Freitas to make it 2-0 Orediggers as that would be the score as the first half came to a close.
 
With the resumption of play in the second half, the Orediggers kept their foot on the gas as the numbers on the shot chart continued to climb while in search of the third goal of the day. Quin Collins joined the scoring party in the 68th minute, taking a ball ahead from Chris Seery and racing nearly half the length of the field as the only navy jersey amidst a sea of white, beating his defender with a shot from just in front of the end line on the far side of the field, setting up a nearly impossible angle for Freitas to defend as the ball again found the upper right corner to make it a 3-0 contest.
 
The fourth goal of the game nearly happened in the 71st minute as Levin had a near-miss off the left post, but it instead came in 79th minute, when a ball played across the mouth of goal by Marc Zimmerman was deflected into the net off the foot of an SDM defender for an own goal.
 
As both side emptied their benches to play out the stretch, the final minutes ticked by and saw Mines emerge victorious, concluding their home stand with nine points and a 3-1-0 record by way of a 4-0 win.
 
NOTABLES
-David's goal was his first of 2023 and was also the first of his Mines career in 43 career matches in the Blue & Silver and comes after logging over 3,100 career minutes
-Levin also scored his first goal of the season and third of his career, finding the net for the first time since September 23 of last season in just his second-ever match against Adams State when he scored twice
-Levin also recorded the first assist of his career in the match, nearly doubling his career point total of four coming into play today in 24 career matches
-Collins' goal was his first of the season as well and the seventh of his Mines career as he has now scored at least once in each of his three seasons with the program
-Allaire finished with two saves in goal in 78 minutes before handing things over to Peter Saunders as the duo and the defense combined for the shutout
-Redshirt sophomore Raul Gerhardus made his long-awaited Mines debut, checking in for the first time in the 40th minute and checking in again in the 79th minute, finishing with one shot on goal in 23 minutes
-Freshman Paul Kliewer also made his Oredigger debut, checking in at the 74-minute mark of the second half and logging the first 16 minutes of his career
-The Orediggers outshot the Hardrockers 17-5 overall and 8-2 in shots on goal in the match
-Mines improves to 10-0-0 all-time against South Dakota Mines
-With the win, the Orediggers are now tied for fourth in the standings with Fort Lewis with 10 points heading into next Friday's matchup
 
UP NEXT
Mines is back the road next weekend against Fort Lewis and Adams State for their final weekend trip of the year on Friday in Durango and Sunday in Alamosa.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men's soccer on Twitter and Instagram at @MinesMSOC and @mines_msoc. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.