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Last Updated: Oct 16th, 2008 - 13:33:17 |
Metro was not guilty of overlooking conference lightweight UC-Colorado Springs to rival Regis, but Mountain Lions goalkeeper Adam Liszewski changed an easy win into a nail-biter. After 14 first-half shots turned into just two goals, the Roadrunners let the Mountain Lions climb from a 2-0 hole to steal a point with a 2-2 draw Sept. 20 at Auraria Field.
"We do a pretty good job of getting our hands around an opponent's neck," Metro head coach Ken Parsons said. "We just don't always do a good job at squeezing it."
Metro did a better job of squeezing on Sunday at Regis with another two-goal first half, this time being enough to down the Rangers 2-1 and jump into third place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings with a 2-0-1 conference record.
The Runners entered the Friday game undefeated in conference play, while the Mountain Lions had not yet won or tied an RMAC season match.
The early play did nothing to suggest the game would be anything more than an expected win for Metro. The high-flying forward duo of Ola Sandquist and Kellen Johnson added another goal to their tally, with Sandquist finding an open Johnson behing the defense. The senior forward flicked the ball hard enough to hit the net after being tipped by the diving Mountain Lion's keeper.
Halfway through the first half, Metro struck again. Johnson provided the assist this time to midfielder Mike Martinez who struck the net to give the Roadrunners a 2-0 lead that could have been much bigger.
"We were creating a ton of chances, we just didn't do a good job of finishing," Parsons said. "We had the chances to make it a 6-0 game at halftime."
UCCS forward Matt Friesen and midfielder Jaron Stewart broke loose in the second half to put a pin in Metro's two-goal cushion. The pair connected twice in the second half to tie the reeling Runners' who were outshot in the second half after taking nearly four times as many shots as UCCS in the first half.
Despite an active overtime in which Metro made Liszewski stop two more shots, Liszewski's 14 saves were enough to break the Roadrunners nine-game winning streak against UCCS.
"(Liszewski) played a great game," Parsons said. "But we made him look good."
After the draw to Colorado Springs, Metro needed a win at Regis to stay high in the RMAC standings.
The Roadrunners forward duo of Johnson and Sandquist once again answered the call. Sandquist struck first, just three minutes in, taking a pass from midfielder Ryan Brooks and burying it past the Rangers keeper.
RMAC Preseason Player of the Year and Regis forward Nathan Kafer made the game interesting just two minutes later. He found a cross from Rangers midfielder Matt Gonzales and his header sailed past Metro keeper Ryan Vickery to tie the game at 1-1 just five minutes from the opening whistle.
Now it was Johnson's turn, and the other half of Metro's two-headed scoring monster finally broke loose in the 39th minute, finding a pass from midfielder Ri Armstrong and striking the net for the 2-1 lead.
"I really think we're starting to find each other," Sandquist said of Johnson. "We're very different as players, but I think we're doing a great job right now."
The Roadrunners avoided a deja vu experience in the second half, as the defense prevented Regis from a single shot on goal to hold on to the win.
Next weekend for Metro looks a lot like the last. The Runners' open with RMAC bottom-feeder Colorado Christian, 0-8 on the season, before a date with regional rival Midwestern State.
"I think it would be shameful if I had to overemphasize this game to our players," Parsons said. "We lost three games last year and two of those were to Midwestern. If these guys aren't prepared for this game, then we shouldn't be playing."
Parsons won't have to worry about Vickery preparing, after Midwestern scored eight goals in the NCAA regionals in Metro's final game last year.
"It would be huge for us (to win) after the losses last year," Vickery said. "We could get that monkey off our backs."
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