GOLDEN, Colo. – Underneath clear blue skies and a shining sun, the Colorado School of Mines men's soccer team was back on the pitch at Stermole Stadium Sunday for their second Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match of the season against Fort Lewis. After falling behind about midway through the first half, the Orediggers (5-3-2, 2-0-0) tied things shortly before the intermission before scoring twice more in the final 10 minutes of the second half to defeat the Skyhawks (1-6-2, 0-2-0) by a final score of 3-1.
 
The match got off to a rather pedestrian start as the first 15 minutes of play only saw two shots, both of which came from Fort Lewis before Mines got three-straight looks in succession in the 17th minute from Azad Iliozer, whose first two shots were blocked before his final of three attempts was saved by Evan Kowalski.
 
Despite not many opportunities in the offensive zone, the Skyhawks ended up striking first when Isaac Garro found a hole in the defense amidst a mad scramble in front of goal as the Orediggers attempted to clear the ball back the other way.
 
Caelin David looked to even things in the 29th minute, but his second shot of the day suffered the same result as his first as Kowalski kept it a 1-0 contest.
 
The Orediggers finally broke through for the equalizer in the 38th minute, as Michael Sprauer headed one home into the upper left corner off a free kick from Lucas King. Mines managed two more looks to go ahead in the closing minutes of the period, but both missed over the top of goal as the two sides hit the half even at 1-1.
 
Mines wasted little time getting after the Skyhawks defense to open the second half, as Tristan Semelsberger, Chris Seery and Quin Collins along with Azad Iliozer combined for five shots on goal in the first five minutes after play resumed.
 
As the half went on, the Orediggers began spending more time in the Skyhawks defensive zone as they offense continued to hunt for the go-ahead score. That goal ultimately came in the 80th minute, as Tristan Semelsberger buried a free kick in the top right corner, bending his shot around four Fort Lewis defenders and between a fifth to beat Kowalski to make it a 2-1 game.
 
Seery had a chance to put things out of reach in the 84th minute but was turned back by the keeper before finally connecting in the 89th minute, playing a pass from Semelsberger and chipping it over a diving Kowalski and into the lower left corner to conclude matters by a final score of 3-1.
 
NOTABLES
-As a team, Mines out-shot Fort Lewis 24-6 in the game and held a 10-3 edge in corner kicks
-The Orediggers open RMAC play 2-0 for the eighth-straight season
-Semelsberger now has six goals this season and scored in back-to-back matches for the second time in 2022
-Seery now has three goals this season and has found the next in each of Mines' last three matches
-Sprauer played all 90 minutes for the second time this season and first time since opening day as he also scored for the third time in 2022
-Nine different players have scored for the Orediggers in the past three matches
 
UP NEXT
Mines hits the road for two game this coming week, but will stay local for both, first heading to Colorado Christian Wednesday September 28 night for a 7 p.m. contest followed by a trip downtown to MSU Denver Sunday October 2 at 12 p.m.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines men's soccer on Twitter at @MinesMSOC. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.