Box Score

GOLDEN, Colo. — No. 3 Colorado School of Mines (16-1-2) men's soccer claimed its first Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament championship title since 2002 prevailing in a penalty kick shootout, 7-6, over No. 23 Fort Lewis (11-5-4) on Sunday afternoon at the CSM Soccer Stadium. The game was officially recorded as a 0-0 tie through two overtimes.

The last time a CSM men's soccer team won the RMAC tournament was in 2002. The 2010 squad becomes the second team in program history to win both the regular-season and tournament titles matching the achievement of the 2002 team. CSM claimed RMAC tournament titles in 1996 and 2002 while winning regular season championships 2000, 2002 and 2003.

“We probably got more opportunities throughout the game than they did, but unfortunately couldn't convert,” said second-year FLC head coach Oige Kennedy. “I'm really proud of how the guys played today, especially the seniors who gave it their all.”

In the 17th minute of the match, off a Mines short corner sent into the box by Chike Sullivan, Philip Wilson headed the ball just wide of the goal. Alex Nass ripped a shot from 30 yards out on the right side but FLC goalkeeper Ryan Wirth came up with the save in the 38th minute.

Fort Lewis had a chance late in the second half when Joey Madigan found space in the box putting a shot on frame in the 40th minute.

Perhaps one of Mines' best chances came in the 45th minute off a free kick by Nass from near midfield as he found Trevor Braun on the back post. Braun's header missed just wide.

The second half was similar to the first as each team had four shots but neither team was able to find the goal.

Alex Gunberg ran onto a ball played into the box played by Sullivan and Gunberg attempted to hit the shot far post but it squirted left of the post and out of bounds in the 55th minute.

Fort Lewis countered with multiple chances. Jamie Cunnigham's header went just wide off a free kick in the 60th minute. Thomas Hoang missed a chance in the box from eight yards out in the 63rd minute and his header off a long cross by Kyle Wood in the 69th minute also missed just wide.

Baski Baker was able to get into the box in the 71st minute and hit a shot from about 10 yards out that went high. Both Baker and Gunberg had shots blocked in the 75th minute.

In the first overtime period, Tesho Akindele was able to find space inside the box right side hitting a shot far post in the 97th minute that just missed.

Fort Lewis had two chances in the second overtime period. Madigan had a straight shot at the top of the box that was saved by CSM goalkeeper Manville Strand in the 107th minute and a header by Abdel Becerra back across the box towards the far post just missed wide in the 108th minute.

After 110 minutes, Mines held a 12 to nine advantage in shots but with no score the game went to penalty kicks to determine a winner.

Kick after kick each team connected and after five attempts each extra kicks were needed. Strand got a hand on two of FLC's kicks including one by Cory Dean that spun back into the goal after Strand knocked it down. However, on Jordan Alexander's attempt Strand dove pushing the ball away to make the save. The next penalty kick was by Sean Helster, who connected giving CSM the 7-6 shootout victory and the RMAC Tournament championship.

Colorado School of Mines' Akindele, Baker, Braun and Sullivan were all named to the All-Tournament Team along with Tournament MVP Strand. Fabian Kling, Cunnigham, Hoang and Wirth were named to the All-Tournament Team for Fort Lewis.

Both teams await their NCAA Division II national tournament fate, which will be announced on the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Selection Show at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Monday, Nov. 8. The first round of the NCAA tournament will begin on Thursday, Nov. 11 with location, opponent and time to be determined. The selection show can be viewed at www.ncaa.com.  

While Mines is all but certain to host a first-round game, Fort Lewis' fate is hanging perilously in the hands of the NCAA selection committee. FLC and Regis, which the Skyhawks defeated 4-1 in a shootout after a 1-1 tie in Friday's RMAC semifinals, are all but deadlocked in the race for the Central Region's second and final berth in the big dance.

Should the Skyhawks not advance, Kennedy said he's proud of how his seniors — Becerra, Byron Cephers, Cunningham, Keane Hamilton and Wood — ended their careers.

“It's a bonus if we get to continue our season,” he said. “If not, the seniors went out with a good taste in their mouths. They can hold their heads high. And the younger players have something to build on. We'll be back.”

The Skyhawks have advanced to the NCAA playoffs 11 times since 1997, winning the 2005 and '09 national championships and finishing second in the nation in 1999 and '06.

Special thanks to Colorado School of Mines Assistant Sports Information Director Katie Simmons for writing much of this news release.