GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The Colorado Mesa Mavericks men's soccer team (9-4-2, 7-3-2 RMAC) will face Fort Lewis College and Adams State this weekend to conclude the RMAC regular season. On Friday at 3 pm the Mavericks will kickoff against the Skyhawks (9-4-3, 7-4-1 RMAC) in Durango, Colo. on Dirks Field. On Sunday the Mavs will return home for a match against the Grizzlies (1-12-1, 1-10-1 RMAC) and celebrate the team's seniors at Walker Field prior to the beginning of the game at 3 pm.
The Mavericks are currently in fourth place in the RMAC standings and are one spot ahead of Fort Lewis who sits in fifth place. Adams State is currently one spot ahead of last place.
The top four teams will host opening matches of the RMAC Tournament, which will begin Nov 7 and concluded on Nov 17.
RMAC All-Academic
Defender Noah Rosenberg and goalkeeper Brendan Brown represent the Mavericks on this year's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic First Team. This is the first time either student-athlete has been named to the First Team.
Brown has started in all but one game this season as goalkeeper for the Mavericks and has maintained a 3.711 GPA in Kinesiology Health and Fitness Promotion.
Rosenberg, a junior from Kailua, Hawaii, has started in all the Mavericks' 15 games this season and has totaled the most minutes by any player on the roster. He has posted a 3.934 GPA in Political Science.
To be eligible for the honors, a student-athlete must have a 3.30 or higher GPA, use a season of competition and be in their second year at the current member institution. Sports Information Directors from the member institutions selected the first team based on a combination of academic and athletic accomplishments. Those not selected to the first team are automatically placed on the honor roll, which included 12 Mavericks.
Colorado Mesa tied for the second most recipients of the men's soccer playing schools with the 14 honorees (CSU-Pueblo). The 14 honorees is also an all-time best for the program.
Lawan Abary, Miguel Alaniz, Ethan Anderson, Ross Elliott, Connor Lowdermilk, Jack McReynolds, Matt Rhoads, Allan Ross, Colton Shafer, Niall Shaffery, Nick Tater, and Tristan Widic were the 12 Mavericks that represented CMU on the Honor Roll list.
All about the Mavs
This season, Abary who has five goals and has taken a team high 29 shots leads the Mavs. The Niamey, Niger native ranks in the top ten for both shots on goal and goals per game within the RMAC. His 1.21 shots on goal per game is seventh best and his five goals in 14 games ranks tenth.
Alec Fronapfel a freshman from Fort Collins has recorded four goals this season and leads the team with a 0.714 shots on goal percentage. He has taken seven shots and five shots on goal this season.
The Maverick defense ranks third among RMAC opponents with a 0.80 goals against average. The Maverick defense has limited opponents to just 12 goals this season and 9.6 shots per game. Rosenberg and Chris Boyd are two key components of that defense and are the only Mavericks to start in each of the team's 15 games this season.
Senior goalkeeper Brown is second in both goals against average (0.692) and saves percentage (82.1%). He sits behind Will Desantis of Westminster in both categories. His six shutouts this season places him in the top ten for most shutouts in a season. He is tied with Micah Conrads (2014) for sixth place.
Scouting Fort Lewis
In the Mavericks last meeting with the Skyhawks they tied 1-1. In that game, Alec Fronapfel recorded the game tying goal in the 83rd minute.
The Skyhawks will enter the weekend on a two game winning streak after picking up wins against Colorado School of Mines (2-1) and South Dakota School of Mines (5-0).
Loic Jean-Baptiste leads the team with six goals and is tied with Brantley Bice with 13 points. Bice has recorded four goals and five assists so far this season. In the net Peter Bryne has played every minute for the Skyhawks and recorded a 1.07 goals against average (fifth best in the RMAC).
The Skyhawks are one spot behind the Mavericks in the standings with 22 conference points. The Mavericks sit fourth with 23 conference points.
Scouting Adams State
The Grizzlies will enter the weekend on a six game losing streak but will face CSU-Pueblo in Alamosa on Friday afternoon before traveling to Walker Field on Sunday
Dylan Uderno leads the Grizzlies with three goals this season and six points. In the net Jacob Faircloth has started all 14 games for the Grizzlies and recorded a 2.45 goals against average and 0.718 saves percentage.
The Mavericks have never lost to the Grizzlies and defeated them the past 11 consecutive years dating back to 2011. The Mavs and Grizzlies have tied twice in history back in 2009 and 2011.
