By WESTON ALLENBACK, GoThunderWolves.com Insider

PUEBLO, Colo. (GoThunderWolves.com - Sept. 14, 2012) - The ThunderWolves men's soccer team opens conference play Friday at Rawlings Sports complex, on the campus of CSU-Pueblo, with a challenging Colorado School of Mines team.

Though the Pack started their season with four straight road games, they managed to split the tough games and end nonconference play with a 2-2 record.  The ThunderWolves beat who they were supposed to beat, defeating unranked foes St. Martin's and Eastern New Mexico but losing to nationally-ranked Grand Canyon and Midwestern State.

Against Midwestern State, ranked 16th when the Pack played them, CSU-Pueblo fell 3-1 to the perennial power, but fared much better than they had in years' past.

"In the past, they were just simply a step above us," Pack head coach Roy Stanley said.  "But this time around, we played right with them for most of the game and it was very encouraging."

Stanley and his 2012 team come home from a difficult road trip to have one of best RMAC opponents awaiting their arrival. Colorado School of Mines comes to town and they are looking to settle some unfinished business from just a year ago.

In their lone matchup of the 2011 season, the Pack and Orediggers battled to a 1-1 draw. The physical game saw a total of 5 yellow cards and 22 fouls, but did see the ThunderWolves net a late equalizer for force overtime and eventual draw.

"We've played them in tight games at home and it will be a great challenge for us," Stanley said.  "It will be a great opportunity to see where we are, as they have shown they will be in the upper echelon again."

It doesn't get any easier for Stanley and his team either. Sunday, they travel to Denver to endure another tough test from Regis. Coming in as the 19th-ranked team in the nation, surely the Pack will have its hands full with the Rangers.

The Pack and Rangers faced off twice last year, with both games needing overtime and barely any offense being generated. The Rangers took one of the two games with a double overtime goal to claim a 1-0 win, while the other ended in a scoreless tie at CSU-Pueblo.

"They have a great tradition at Regis and we always have great games with each other," Stanley said.  "Like Mines, they are always in the top three or four in the RMAC, and we want to be in the mix with them.  This is our chance to prove it."

Friday's game against Colorado School of Mines at Rawlings Sports Complex is set to kick off at 4:30 and Sunday's game at Regis University is set for a 3:30 kick off.