SAN DIEGO, Calif. – On the road for the first time in 2025, the Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team dropped their first decision of the new season by a score of 4-0 to Point Loma Thursday evening. An offensive outburst by the Sea Lions (1-1-1) that saw two goals scored in each half was too much for the Orediggers (1-1-0) overcome to begin the first road trip of the season.
 
Kiernan DiBella was put to the test right away just 44 seconds into the action as he saved a shot by Cole Friesen as Point Loma wasted little time after taking the opening kickoff. Lucas Taitt's first look of the night in the fifth minute was blocked by the defense before DiBella made his second save of the night against Elijah Langford in the 18th minute to keep things scoreless.
 
The 25th minute saw the Sea Lions get on the board first thanks to Emmett Layman. A near-side throw in was played all the way to PLNU's defensive third as one of their backs collected the ball before playing it ahead deep into their attacking third. Layman ran down the pass and split a trio of Oredigger defenders to go top shelf inside the far post against DiBella to take the first lead of the evening.
 
Point Loma doubled their lead to 2-0 just before the half in the 40th minute as Langford played a ball from the near side back across the far edge of the penalty area for Keoni Young. Young collected, played a few touches and took aim from 17 yards out, splitting a pair of Mines defenders and sneaking a shot between DiBella and the near post to make it a two-score contest.
 
A free kick by Alex Gonzalez in the waning seconds of the opening period as he went for goal was nearly rewarded as Jeremy Caringella batted it out of play, but nearly turned it into a misplay on the end line as it remained a 2-0 deficit for Mines heading to halftime.
 
The deficit moved to 3-0 in the 69th minute when Mines turned over possession near midfield and led to a breakaway counter the other way as Layman found Friesen who won a footrace against the defense and putting a shot to the back post against DiBella for the goal. A fourth game came just 2:48 later as an attempted clear of a PLNU corner kick was won back by the Sea Lions near the center circle. Again it was the duo of Friesen and Layman, this time in reverse order as a cross from the near side edge of the six was gathered just by the back post and put in to make it 4-0.
 
Mines continued to battle for the final 20 minutes looking to avoid the shutout with perhaps one of their best looks of the night coming on a shot direct off a Jaden Igarta free kick in the 78th minute, but Caringella was able to make the save diving to his right after the two got tangled up on a play moments earlier. Tommy Jernigan had a look at breaking out the shutout on a great setup by Ayman Bushara in the 84th minute, but his top shelf look was batted away on a leaping save by Caringella.
 
Ultimately, the Orediggers couldn't break through against a stingy Point Loma defense effort as they dropped their road opener by a final of 4-0.
 
NOTABLES
-Taitt and Igarta led the way with two shots each
-Gonzalez, Jernigan and Leo Santana each ended the night with a shot
-DiBella closed with three saves in goal
-Santana and Brady Schienfeld each logged career highs in minutes played off the bench
-PLNU outshot the Orediggers 12-7 on the night and 7-4 in shots on target
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers wrap their first road trip of the season with the third of five California foes to open the action against Biola Saturday night at 7 p.m. PT.
 
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.