GOLDEN, Colo. – The Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team squared off with Colorado Mesa Sunday looking to snap a four-match skid Sunday in game one of a doubleheader at Stermole Stadium. Despite falling behind in the first half, the Orediggers (2-6-4, 1-4-0) rallied to tie the match early in the second on a goal by J McGill but an untimely penalty kick conversion in the final 30 minutes resulted in a 2-1 decision for the Mavericks (6-4-2, 3-1-1) in a match that was both physically and verbally contentious.
 
Marc Levin got things off and running with a shot at the back post less than a minute into the action as Nathan Beck made his first save for CMU. Kiernan DiBella went to work for the first time in the ninth minute when he saved a high shot to the back post by Nathan Hernandez.
 
For much of the opening period, Colorado Mesa pressed home their attack almost at will, with the Orediggers playing in their defensive third for the majority of the period. Despite valiant individual and group efforts to keep the Mavericks off the board for much of the half, CMU finally broke through and Manuel Ponce Casas headed home Riccardo Legnante's corner kick out of the near side in the 33rd minute.
 
As the match progressed toward the intermission, the first three of what would become eight total yellow cards in the match were issued as the intensity of the match was felt by both sides as CMU took the lead into the break.
 
Following the resumption of play, Mines leveled the score in the 53rd minute as they countered a chance by the Mavericks in just 27 seconds. Following a save by DiBella against Legnante, the Orediggers quickly worked back the other way with Lucas Taitt playing a ball from the far side the field ahead to J McGill. McGill, who subbed on to open the second half, gathered the pass near the top of the penalty area on the near before beating a defender and tucking a shot under the leg of Beck and just inside the near post to level the match at 1-1.
 
With the restart, the intensity of the match elevated with another caution being assessed between two more saves by DiBella. Roughly 10 minutes after the goal by McGill, CMU retook the lead on a penalty kick by Hernandez after he was taken down in the box by Jake Macha.
 
Avi Levin had a chance to net another equalizer just 20 seconds after the restart to no avail as Mines pulled out all the stops in the final 25 minutes looking to draw level once again. As the clock wound inside 10 minutes to play, the intensity reached a fever-pitch with three more cautions being assessed during the closing moments of regulation. With time against them, McGill and Macha each took aim against Beck but came up empty as the clock expired with the Mavericks coming away with the result. Following the final whistle of a heated and highly emotional match, an additional three cards were issued with each team being assessed a red card to close the book on a physical battle in which there was a combined 25 fouls called over the course of the action.
 
NOTABLES
-McGill's goal was his second of the season as he logged 24 minutes off the bench
-Taitt's assist was his fifth of the season and first live-ball assist; his previous four assists all came on long throw-ins
-Ethan Huet and Cody O'Brien each played season highs in minutes off the bench in the match
-DiBella ended the afternoon with five saves in goal
-A total of 10 disciplinary cards were issued during and at the conclusion of the match, with each side receiving five yellow cards and one red card with three cards being assessed following a tense exchange post-match
 
UP NEXT
Mines plays three of their final five matches of the season on the road starting Thursday when they head to Adams State for a 3 p.m. kickoff in Alamosa.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men's soccer on X and Instagram at @minesmsoc and @mines_msoc. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.