Grand Junction, Colo. - Following the team's best weekend of the season, the Colorado Mesa University Men's Soccer Team will return to this pitch this weekend with a pair of nonconference matches against RMAC schools. CMU will face off with #8 University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and #18 Fort Lewis College.
Colorado Mesa will head down to Colorado Springs on Thursday, Sept. 26 for a 7 p.m. match on Mountain Lion Field against UCCS. The Mavs will then return home for their long-awaited home opener on Sunday, Sept. 29 at Community Hospital Unity Field when they take on the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks at 3 p.m.
Through five games this season the Mavs are currently 3-1-1 and are on a two-game win streak after defeating both their opponents this past weekend. They would record their two best wins this season with a 3-0 victory over Montana State University Billings and then a 5-0 victory over Simon Fraser University.
With their 5-0 win, CMU ties the conference game-high for goals scored in the 2024 season. This would also mark the first time the team has scored five or more goals in a match since the 2022 season when they scored six against Western Oregon University in a 6-1 victory.
Two players are tied for the team lead in goals scored with both Kensho Negi and Matteo Bonelli each having two. Eight other players have scored one goal. Marc Bonafe serves as the team leader in assists with three. He would record all three assists this past weekend with two of them coming in the 5-0 win over SFU. 12 different players have recorded at least one point.
Stefanos Christodoulakis and Negi would tally the game-winning goals in the last two wins; Christodoulakis against MSUB and Negi against SFU.
Defensively the Mavs have been sound as of late, lowering the number of goals they allow per game to .80 while scoring on average 2.40 goals per game. Their 2.40 goals per game is the highest average in the conference, with UCCS in second place with a 2.33 average.
Goalkeeper Diego Chavez is coming off back-to-back shutout performances this weekend as he now has totaled 11 shutouts in his career. He has recorded 24 saves this season while having faced 82 shots. Chavez ranks first in the conference in save percentage at .857.
In addition to the Mavs stellar performances this last weekend, they would also be recognized nationally as in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll for week three they would be receiving votes. They have also moved up to the fifth place spot in the South Central Regional rankings. The Trio of Bonafe, Negi and Chavez would all be awarded the RMAC Player of the Week honors for week three. Bonafe would win offensive player, Negi would win defensive player and Chavez would win goalkeeper. This would mark Bonafe and Negi's first time earning these awards while Chavez earned his fourth recognition of goalkeeper of the week with this award.
Both opponents of the Mavs this weekend will look to be challenges as neither team has suffered a loss yet. UCCS currently sits at 5-0-1 with Fort Lewis at 3-0-3.
UCCS, who was ranked at #8 in the latest USC National poll, is coming off a successful season in 2023 where they would be qualifiers for the NCAA Tournament and had a 10-6-5 record.
In three of their five wins this season, they have defeated opponents from the Lone Star Conference, which are also members of the South Central Region.
Offensively the Mountain Lions have been led by the pair of Dani Barajas and Nick Walker who have both scored four goals each. They are both tied for the conference lead in goals. To this point, UCCS has outscored opponents 14-5 through their six matches this season.
In penalty kick attempts the Mountain Lions have converted on every single chance this season as they are six for six in goals scored.
Fort Lewis has also had much success this season as they are ranked #18 nationally. The Skyhawks finished the 2023 season with a 12-5-4 record and would reach as far as the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Just like UCCS, Fort Lewis has collected three wins against Lone Star Conference opponents this season.
Their offense has been led by a trio of Skyhawk players who have each recorded three goals apiece. Those three would include David Citron, Tomas Duenes and Fabrizio Aguilera. Citron also leads the team with four assists.
The Skyhawks goalkeeper Lucas Martin currently has a .667 goals-against average which is second-best in the conference.
The Mavs match against UCCS can be watched via the RMAC Network with live stats being able to be followed online. Tickets for the Mavs home opener against Fort Lewis can found at cmumavericks.com/tickets.
