Scott Doney, psychology senior, moves the ball up the field during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
The men’s soccer team is first in the region for the second time. The final score of the regional game was 2-0 against Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 16. This means the team will advance to play on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
“We take one game at a time, that’s always what we do and it has worked out for us all season. We will celebrate this tonight and come back tomorrow to prepare for the game on Saturday,” Doug Elder, head men’s soccer coach, said.
They are in the same place they were last season — they won regionals, but then fell in the NCAA II Quarterfinals. This year, players said they are hoping to push further and, as always, take it one game at a time.
“The mindset is the same as always, we just need to get the job done and stay together. We were in this position last year but, we got too high on our sweet 16 victory and came crashing down in the elite eight. We just have to keep it together and keep it going as one,” Alex Mullet, defender and finance junior said.
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The game overall was close, both teams were fighting hard. The first half ended with a score of 0-0, but at the 26:10 mark, Carlos Flores, midfielder and sports medicine freshman, made an attempted shot that was blocked at the last second. The defense for both teams was not backing down. At the 18:48 mark, Colorado School of Mines was given a corner kick. The ball headed directly for the goal, but Taylor Lampe, goalkeeper and exercise physiology freshman, caught the ball just in time.
“At times we were a little shaky, but that has happened over the course of the season. We just grind it out and today was no different,” Patrick Fitzgerald, defender and kinesiology junior, said.
The men’s soccer team kept its aggression throughout the game. The score was 0-0 up until the 23:12 mark. A Colorado School of Mines player fouled on Pierre Bocquet, midfielder and business senior, and MSU received a penalty kick. Fitzgerald set up to kick and made the first goal for the team, bringing the score to 1-0.
“Right now the boys are on a high and I don’t think much will change. As long as they do things right, it will keep coming,” Kristian Martinez, defender and computer science junior, said.
With the clock counting down, the five minute mark came around with the score still 1-0. The game was coming to a close and the players began to pass the ball to run out the clock. With 10 seconds left, Ross Fitzpatrick, midfielder and exercise physiology sophomore, gained possession of the ball. At the three second mark, he made a goal to bring the score to 2-0.
The team was then given the trophy and named regional champions. Their record going into the quarterfinals is 20-0-2.
“Being regional champions is expected, to be honest. That’s at least our expectation, so we just take each game as it comes and they is nothing stopping us right now. Our main aim is all the way,” Fitzgerald said.
2017 Men's soccer named regional champions
Scott Doney, psychology senior, moves the ball up the field during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Scott Doney, psychology senior, moves the ball up the field during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Scott Doney, psychology senior, moves the ball up the field during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Alex Mullet, finance junior, attempts to cross the ball during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Alex Mullet, finance junior, attempts to cross the ball during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Alex Mullet, finance junior, attempts to cross the ball during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Defender and kinesiology junior Patrick Fitzgerald prepares to take a sucessful penalty kick in the 66th minute, bringing the score 1-0 against Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Defender and kinesiology junior Patrick Fitzgerald prepares to take a sucessful penalty kick in the 66th minute, bringing the score 1-0 against Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Defender and kinesiology junior Patrick Fitzgerald prepares to take a sucessful penalty kick in the 66th minute, bringing the score 1-0 against Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Head coach Doug Elder keeps his composure during a penalty kick given to Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Head coach Doug Elder keeps his composure during a penalty kick given to Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Head coach Doug Elder keeps his composure during a penalty kick given to Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Head coach Dough Elder celebrates after a clever goal scored by midfielder and exercise physiology sophomore Ross Fitzpatrick with 3 seconds left of the game in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, against Colorado School of Mines. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Head coach Dough Elder celebrates after a clever goal scored by midfielder and exercise physiology sophomore Ross Fitzpatrick with 3 seconds left of the game in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, against Colorado School of Mines. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Head coach Dough Elder celebrates after a clever goal scored by midfielder and exercise physiology sophomore Ross Fitzpatrick with 3 seconds left of the game in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, against Colorado School of Mines. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Midfielder and business management sophomore embraces defender and business sophomore RJ Slayer, after MSU wins 2-0 against Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Midfielder and business management sophomore embraces defender and business sophomore RJ Slayer, after MSU wins 2-0 against Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Midfielder and business management sophomore embraces defender and business sophomore RJ Slayer, after MSU wins 2-0 against Colorado School of Mines in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Defender and finance junior Koby Sapon-Amoah embraces his teammates after beating Colorado School of Mines 2-0 in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Defender and finance junior Koby Sapon-Amoah embraces his teammates after beating Colorado School of Mines 2-0 in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Defender and finance junior Koby Sapon-Amoah embraces his teammates after beating Colorado School of Mines 2-0 in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships. Nov 16. Photo by Bridget Reilly
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, recieves a penalty kick after being fouled within the goalie box during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, recieves a penalty kick after being fouled within the goalie box during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, recieves a penalty kick after being fouled within the goalie box during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Patrick Fitzgerald, kinesiology junior, scores the first goal off a penalty kick during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Patrick Fitzgerald, kinesiology junior, scores the first goal off a penalty kick during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Patrick Fitzgerald, kinesiology junior, scores the first goal off a penalty kick during the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Crowd celebrates second goal made on the last minute of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Crowd celebrates second goal made on the last minute of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Crowd celebrates second goal made on the last minute of the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, celebrates the team win after the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, celebrates the team win after the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, celebrates the team win after the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, celebrates the team win after the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, celebrates the team win after the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
Pierre Bocquet, business senior, celebrates the team win after the NCAA Division II South Central Regional game vs Colorado School of Mines at Stang Park, where MSU won 2-0. Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. Photo by Francisco Martinez
