Penalty kick gives CSU-Pueblo the win

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs soccer coach Flavio Mazzetti needs a snake-bite kit. Industrial size.

Ryan Creagor scored on a penalty kick in the 26th minute to lead the Colorado State-Pueblo Thunderwolves to a 1-0 victory over the Mountain Lions Wednesday night at Sand Creek Stadium. The loss continued a string of freakish misfortune for CU-Colorado Springs.

“I thought we played well â€" we definitely possessed the ball and outshot them,” said Mazzetti. “Itâ€^TMs been an unkind season.”

Thatâ€^TMs an understatement. The Mountain Lions (2-9-0, 1-6-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) have lost three matches to penalty kicks and one to an own goal. Seven of their nine losses have been by a one-goal margin, including four by 1-0 scores.

Wednesday, Tommy Lauhoff took a pass inside the penalty area just wide of the right post. He dribbled in front of the net, about 15 yards out, trying to shake CU-Colorado Springs defender Eric Foulk. A second Mountain Lions defender, Brian Thatcher, converged on Lauhoff and Foulk was able to clear the ball away. Lauhoff, however, tumbled to the ground and referee Ben Shauf awarded CSU-Pueblo (7-4-1, 5-2-0 RMAC) the penalty kick.

“Weâ€^TMre just waiting for things to turn around, keeping our heads up and playing strong,” said Mazzetti. “We are definitely staying positive, but itâ€^TMs disappointing to lose.”

The Thunderwolves came very close to not needing Lauhoffâ€^TMs theatrics. In the eighth minute, Yasuke Ota was able to get into a one-on-one situation with CU-Colorado Springs goalkeeper Chris Hovasse. Otaâ€^TMs shot was well aimed at the far post, but Hovasse made an acrobatic diving stop.

The CSU-Pueblo had two other close calls thwarted. In the 56th minute, Andrew Jensen beat Hovasse but had his shot stopped at the goal line by a pair of CU-Colorado Springs defenders. In the 81st minute, Lauhoff got off a point-blank shot that Hovasse was able to block.

Those close calls were not necessarily indicative of how the match was played, though. The Mountain Lions outshot CSU-Pueblo 13-7, forcing Thunderwolves goalkeeper Mike Muravez to make seven saves. In the final 10 minutes, CU-Colorado Springs lived in the Thunderwolvesâ€^TM penalty area, throwing crossing passes in front of Muravez, but the Mountain Lions were unable to find the net â€" or draw a call.

“Itâ€^TMs been a struggle of a season,” said Mazzetti. “The guys are playing well enough to win every game.

“Weâ€^TMre just waiting for that moment of magic to turn us around.”