LAREDO, Texas – Colorado Mesa scored in both the second minute and final minute of Thursday's season-opening match, but three Midwestern State goals in between meant it was the No. 22 Mustangs defeating the No. 9 Mavericks 3-2 in a neutral-site clash as the 2022 season got underway.

In a marquee match-up between a CMU squad projected to win the RMAC and a Midwestern State club projected to win the Lone Star Conference, both teams demonstrated lethal efficiency in front of the net, as each team scored on their first shot attempt and placed over half of their total shots for the match on target. Colorado Mesa outshot the Mustangs 10-8 and put six of those shots on goal to MSU's five.

The Mavericks' season got off to a dream start, as redshirt sophomore forward Joey Joiner scored just one minute and 38 seconds into the match off an assist from sophomore midfielder Diogo Silva.

It only took three minutes for Midwestern State to respond, however, as Brandon Martinez-Trelles equalized for the Mustangs in the fifth minute. Each team took two other shot attempts before Midwestern State's Gavin Scott scored in the 27^th minute to put the Mustangs ahead.

The two teams continued to trade punches up and down the pitch, as CMU goalkeeper Connor Durant and his MSU counterpart, Marc-Antoine Huzen, made their first saves of the match within 12 seconds of one another in the 41^st minute. Midwestern State headed into halftime with a 2-1 lead and a 5-4 shots advantage.

The Mavericks attempted to take charge and come from behind after the break, outshooting the Mustangs 6-3 in the final 45 minutes while Jorge Rodriguez and Alec Fronapfel each forced saves from Huzen within the first 10 minutes of the second half.

But it was Midwestern State's Ethan Bonaparte who scored with MSU's first shot of the second half to make it 3-1 in the 60^th minute and leave the Mavericks with a larger hill to climb.

The Mavs did pull one goal back at the buzzer, as freshman forward Manuel Ponce Casas scored with 14 seconds left in his first collegiate match. Fellow newcomer Moises Martinez, a transfer from Salt Lake CC, provided the assist. Both players came on as substitutes late in the second half.

The Mavericks will have the day off tomorrow before facing Texas A&M International on Saturday at 6 p.m. That game will be streamed on the Lone Star Network (pay-per-view) or can be followed for free via live stats.