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  Home Page » Sports » College » Fort Lewis College Mens Soccer Reel In Rangers

Fort Lewis College men's soccer reel in Rangers

Visiting RMAC foes notch early 1-0 lead; FLC recovers for win

by Matthew Piper
Herald Sports Writer

Halloween came early this year for the Skyhawks.

There were no medical scares Sunday afternoon, but the No. 4 Fort Lewis College soccer team did receive an early fright before composing themselves and beating Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival Regis 3-1 at Dirks Field.

Just 10 minutes in, Jeff Jennings brought down Donnie Montoya at the left corner of the box for a Rangers penalty kick. Zane Wells started to move early on the approach, and Montoya drove it into the left side to give Regis (7-4-4 overall,
5-2-4 RMAC) a startling 1-0 lead.

“Lack of concentration the first couple of minutes,” Kennedy said. “We gave them a chance, and they took it, all credit to them. But instead of them coming out and playing, they kind of withdrew a little bit and let us in the game, and I think from that point on, we were always in control.”

The Skyhawks (15-1-0 overall, 12-0-0 RMAC) narrowly edged Regis 1-0 on its own turf, so they already knew they might face a challenge. They had a response ready-made: three consecutive goals.

“We had a tough time against them at their home, and then they came here, and it’s our field,” Joe Barnd said. “I think we let them know that.”

Shortly after the PK, David Barden ripped a hard half volley that was parried straight into the air by outstretched Regis keeper Wally Fink, then recovered.

Seconds later, though, Barnd ran onto a Barden layoff at the left edge of the penalty area, stopped to feign a look toward a streaking teammate and deftly turning back toward goal with a preplanned move that left the defender petrified.

Fink was in a bad spot, and the sophomore beat him low and right to tie it in the 18th minute.

“I always like to take players on,” said Barnd, who also delivered the game-winning goal against Regis in Denver. “I like to think that’s the best part of my game, but Oige encouraged me to do that (Sunday), and I took advantage of it.”

The Skyhawks spread the attack out wide right for Tom Settle’s service, finding Barden twice for shots saved by Fink and gifting Fabian Kling an open header the sophomore defender flubbed before the half ended knotted at 1.

FLC resolved to change matters soon after the restart.

Junior college transfer Abdel Becerra chased down a Wells punt outside the Regis box and shot it past Fink for a 2-1 advantage just 26 seconds into the second half.

“We went straight at them,” Kennedy said. “Credit to ’Del, he made a great run.

“He’s definitely done well in practices, and every time he comes on the field he does great for us. I’m sure he’s a player for the future and a player for this season, too.”

FLC expanded its lead to 3-1 when Thomas Hoang received Sam Morris’ pass, cut left, then right and shot across goal for a saucy finish in the 62nd minute.

“Tremendous strike,” Kennedy said. “I think that shows the kind of ability he has.”

The Skyhawks outshot the attackless Rangers 20-5. Fink had eight saves for Regis, many of the diving variety.

“The keeper had some great saves,” Barnd said. “He played really well.”

The second hotly contested game in a row for FLC saw 12 fouls from each team.

“I feel like sometimes teams want to come here and try to stop us from playing instead of playing themselves,” Kennedy said. “I don’t know if that’s the right or wrong way, but it seems to be the way in the RMAC.”

Those feelings come in light of Friday’s fierce 1-0 win against No. 25 Metro State that saw Keane Hamilton lost for six weeks with a broken collarbone and left Euan Purcell in street clothes Sunday while recovering from a concussion he sustained when Metro defenseman Jamey King stepped on the RMAC scoring leader’s head.

Purcell, from Bolton, England, was among the 2009 seniors honored before the game. The others were Durango High School alumnus Wells; Blackburn, England’s Morris; Aurora’s Jennings; Portsmouth, England’s Settle; and Barden from South Haven, Mich.

Needless to say, the Skyhawks are losing an extremely distinguished group.

Co-captain Wells, the RMAC All-Academic Player of the Year, allowed 49 goals in 61 games since he won the starting job his sophomore year. He has allowed just seven goals this season.

Morris played just two seasons for the Skyhawks, earning All-RMAC third team honors in 2008 and tallying one goal and eight assists in 15 games from his defensive post in 2009.

Jennings, another co-captain, started 69 games in a row his first three years at FLC, and he missed just one while scoring two and setting up four others this year.

Settle is an All-RMAC first-team player with 14 goals and 47 assists in 82 games in the midfield.

Barden started as a freshman and has totaled 87 points in four seasons.

Purcell, his partner in attack, has scored almost a goal a game since coming to the Fort, with 32 goals in 35 games. Eight of those scores have been game winners.

Memories aside, though, their run is not yet over.

FLC travels to play University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Colorado State University-Pueblo in its final two games of the regular season before returning home to host the RMAC Tournament at Dirks Field from Nov. 6-9.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Kennedy said. “It’s exciting to host everybody here, and hopefully we can continue to win.”

mpiper@durangoherald.com