PUEBLO, Colo. (September 5, 2024) - The No. 2 ranked Colorado State University Pueblo men's soccer team picked up a convincing 3-0 shutout win in their season opener at home against Western Oregon on Thursday behind a five-point (2G, 1A) performance by senior midfielder Caio Oliveira (Espigao d'Oeste, Brazil) and lights out defense helped to propel the ThunderWolves to victory.

Along with Oliveira, Tobi Osifodunrin (Brighton, Colo.) had a nice debut and scored his first goal with the Pack.

In the game, CSU Pueblo out shot the Wolves 7-6 and recorded four corners against three from WOU.

Oliveira led all players with three shots and four other Pack players registered a shot.

The ThunderWolves offense got the on the board early with great passing in the final third between Osifodunrin and Oliveira, allowed for Oliveira to find his spot inside the box and score the first CSU Pueblo goal of the season during the 13th minute.

Later in the 27th minute, Osifodunrin drove the ball down the near side of the pitch and maneuvered past his defender, firing a shot at the net that found the top half of the net for his first goal as a member of the Pack in the 27th minute.

CSU Pueblo carried the 2-nil lead into the break and after forty-five minutes, both teams had made four shots and the Pack earned three corners.

Entering the second half with the lead, Pack goalkeeper Ruben Volkert (Gr., Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) and his back line continued to play solid defensively and limited the Wolves to only two shots in the half while WOU recorded three corners in the final period.

Over the final 30 minutes of action, the teams exchanged possession and several cautions were handed out and as a result, Western Oregon had to play one-man down for most of the second period.

In the 87th minute, Will Boyle (R-So., Fort Collins, Colo.) pushed the ball down field and drove into the box while being taken down from the defense and earned a penalty kick. 

Oliveira stepped in and hit a shot low and past the diving keeper and built a 3-0 lead and his second score of the match.

Volkert finished with three saves against six shots to earn the clean sheet victory.

Up next, CSU Pueblo welcomes Northwest Nazarene for a matinee match-up on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Gonzales Stadium.