GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- The Colorado Mesa University men's soccer team played the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers to a 1-1 draw. This result gives the Mavericks a 4-2-6 overall record and 2-1-2 RMAC record. The Orediggers collect their first draw of conference play and will earn a point in the RMAC standings.
The first half saw an immediate attack from the Mavs as they earned a corner kick just before the seventh minute.
Richie Tabares Ochoa was tasked with taking the set piece and played it short to Stefanos Christodoulakis; he played it back to Tabares Ochoa who crossed it into the box. Edoardo Oliveri was on the other end and headed it into the back of net, giving the Mavs the lead not even ten minutes into the game.
George Jones looked to add onto the lead three minutes later, but his shot was too high. The Orediggers responded with two shots of their own, but both were blocked by the Mavs defense. Both teams traded shots during the twenty-minute mark but while Orediggers' chance was blocked, Hayes Malone saw his chance miss the left post.
In the final ten minutes of the first half, the Mavs had three more chances from Tabares Ochoa and Justin Ibrahim. All three chances were saved by the Orediggers' goalkeeper as the game was sent to half time.
The second half saw more of the same from the Mavs as Tabares Ochoa and Oliveri fired two shots less than five minutes in, but both came up empty. Christodoulakis fired a shot of his own in the 55th minute, but it was once again dealt with by the Orediggers' defense.
When the hour mark came around, Diego Medina fired two shots, but both were once again blocked. The Orediggers fired a shot of their own, but it was too high.
The Mavs got a golden opportunity for a second in the 68th minute when Tabares Ochoa got a great look at goal, but it hit the top of the woodwork. Jaxson Dowling fired a shot less than a minute later, but it was saved by the keeper.
Both teams traded shots once again during the 70th minute mark, with both defenses handling the chances.
The Orediggers earned a throw-in where they capitilized and found the equalizer. The Mavs scrambled to find a winner as Christodoulakis and Daniel Ehler both found shots seconds later, but both came up empty.
The 85th minute saw the Orediggers have a chance for the lead but Nathan Beck was there to stymie the chance. Tabares Ochoa tried to score the winner off a free kick but it was again too high. Matteo Bonelli tried to find a goal in the last remaining seconds, but both of his chances were dealt with by the defense as the game ended in a 1-1 stalemate.
CMU outshot the Orediggers 19-9 but weren't able to find more than one goal. Oliveri scored his sixth goal of the season with Tabares Ochoa and Christodoulakis racking up an assist. Beck only made one save on the day.
The Mavs start a two-game road trip as they head to Denver to take on Regis on Oct. 16. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Regis Turf Field.
