PUEBLO, Colo. (November 23, 2024) - For a third year in a row, the Colorado State University Pueblo men's soccer team has secured its spot in the NCAA Sweet 16 after defeating Western Oregon 3-2 in a Second Round match-up on Saturday at Art & Lorraine Gonzales Stadium.

The No. 1 seeded ThunderWolves will stay home for their next game, set for next Sunday, December 1st at 3 p.m. at Gonzales Stadium. CSU Pueblo will play the winner between Cal State-LA and Cal State Dominguez Hills. That game is slated for Sunday at 3 p.m. (MT).

Against Western Oregon, winners in Thursday's First Round match against Point Loma, the ThunderWolves dominated offensively and registered 16 shots and eight SOG against three total shots from WOU.

Three players tallied three shots for the Pack. Dylan Zavatini (Gr., Santa Catarina, Brazil), Caio Oliveira (Sr., Espigao d'Oeste, Brazil) and Shjon Andrews (Gr., Longmont, Colo.) all had good chances at the net. Andrews finished with two SOG.

CSU Pueblo got on the board first in the 16th minute after a throw-in from the far-side reached deep inside the 18-yard box and was headed out by the Wolves defense towards the top of the box and Oliveira struck the ball mid-air into the back of the net for the early lead.

At the break, the ThunderWolves led 3-1 in shots and earned two corners.

In the second half, Western Oregon got on the board in the first five minutes after playing the ball ahead and caught the ThunderWolves on their heels and was able to possess the ball inside the final third.

The Wolves pitched the ball outside and left of the box and WOU's Nathan Jimenez found the back of the net, tying the game at 1-1.

The Pack responded ten minutes later after Tobi Osifodunrin (Sr.,Brighton, Colo.) intercepted a free kick ball in the offensive zone and drove the ball down along the far line and hit a cross wide and Jack Pascoe (Sr., Barry, Wales) gathered the loose ball and centered a pass back inside the box to Bustamante who hit the center of the net for the go-ahead score.

The score went unchanged until the 82nd minute when Western Oregon scored the equalizer and caused a turnover in their attacking zone and went on the attack with four players running with the ball. WOU's Yahir Campos Navarro kept the ball and went straight at the net and fired a shot past the ThunderWolves defense inside the right post.

Knotted at 2-2 and with just over four minutes left in regulation, CSU Pueblo kept the pressure against WOU and caused a turnover, resulting in a throw-in for the Pack.

As is the case on most throw-ins this season, Ignatius DeMark (Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.) went and delivered a beauty ball and as the throw was in the air, Andrews came from behind the defense and climbed over the defender and he was able to head in the ball and gave the Pack a 3-2 lead.

Over the final three minutes, the Pack did enough to keep the ball away from the Wolves and secured the victory.

At the net, Ryan Nun (So., Broomfield, Colo.) allowed two goals and faced three shots.

Up next
CSU Pueblo will now wait and see who they will face-off against in the third round next Sunday.