UCCS Athletics

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The No. 23 nationally ranked University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's soccer team upset the top RMAC team and No. 14 nationally ranked Fort Lewis College, 2-1 in a dramatic homecoming match.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: #23 UCCS 2, #14 FLC 1
Records: #23 UCCS (7-1-5, 2-1-2 RMAC), #14 FLC (7-3-2, 4-1-0 RMAC)
Facility: Mountain Lion Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: With tonight's win the Mountain Lions push their all-time record against the Skyhawks to 16-48-5 and snap a six-match losing streak against the Skyhawks.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Mountain Lions started the scoring just 97 seconds into the match as Eduardo Macias collected the ball at midfield and made a breakout pass to Lucas Taitt. After taking the ball up field Taitt unleashed a shot from the top left of the box and snuck it past the Skyhawk goalkeeper for his fifth goal of the season.
• Hugo Sjöberg made an incredible save in the 10th minute as Fort Lewis midfielder William Bretvik had a wide-open shot that forced Sjöberg to dive to his left and punch the ball away from the net.
• Fort Lewis had another scoring opportunity in the 30^th minute as Francisco Pinto ripped a shot with Sjöberg only a few yards in front of him, but Sjoberg made another incredible reactionary save to once again snuff out the Skyhawks.
• In the 42^nd minute Yohann Fila launched an open shot from the middle of the box, and Fort Lewis goalkeeper Lucas Martin flew to his right to redirect the ball away from net and keep the UCCS lead at one.
• The Skyhawks evened the score in the 51^st minute as Ivor Hoihjelle headed a corner kick from Pinto over Sjöberg for his second goal of the season.
• In the 58^th minute the Skyhawks had a costly turnover by the last line of the defense, giving Cole Wearner a run to the net without a defender anywhere near him. Wearner sprinted in on the Fort Lewis goalkeeper and tapped the ball past his outstretched leg to regain the lead for the Mountain Lions.
• The Skyhawks had a scoring chance in the 84^th minute as Bretvik fired a shot on net, but Sjöberg leaped up and pushed the ball over the net to defend the UCCS lead late.
• The last six minutes of the match were intense and physical, but the Mountain Lions managed to hold off the Skyhawks to complete the upset.

STATS FROM THE GAME

• Sjöberg made seven saves on eight shots on target en route to the win, his second most saves in a match this season. Sjöberg also faced 19 total shots, which tops the two times he saw 18 for the most this season.
• E. Macias recorded his team-leading fourth assist of the season tonight. Four assists also ties his career high, which he set last year.
• Taitt continues his breakout year after transferring to UCCS, notching his fifth goal and 11^th point, which tops his career high of 10 points set last year.
• Wearner scored his first career game winning goal tonight with his 58^th minute breakaway. It was his fourth on the season, doubling his total last season in seven fewer games.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Taitt's goal at 1:37 was the seventh quickest goal in program history, and the quickest since Luke Noameshie netted one 1:28 into a match against South Dakota School of Mines on Nov. 11, 2024.
• Taitt, E. Macias, and Wearner all passed the 10-point mark on the season tonight, joining Yohann Fila as the four Mountain Lions to do so. Taitt and Wearner are now tied for second on the team with 11 points, while Macias is fourth with 10.
• With his seven saves tonight, Hugo Sjoberg now sits 10th all-time in program history for career saves with 118.

UP NEXT

• UCCS travels to Alamosa, Colo. this Sunday, Oct. 11, as they take on Adams State University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at ASU Soccer/Lacrosse Field.

SOCIAL
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
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