DURANGO, Colo. – No. 21 Colorado State University Pueblo men's soccer closed out nonconference play unbeaten Sunday afternoon, grinding out a 3-1 road victory over Fort Lewis at Dirks Field.
Playing in a difficult road environment against a Fort Lewis side that applied pressure throughout the afternoon, the ThunderWolves showed their depth and resilience while making the most of their opportunities. João Lutz, Nick Cenek and Juan Pablo Orozco Soto each scored as CSU Pueblo improved to 6-0-0 on the season.
The Pack struck first when Lutz converted from the penalty spot at the 5:11 mark for a 1-0 advantage.
Fort Lewis responded with sustained pressure, producing 11 shots and five corner kicks in the opening 45 minutes. CSU Pueblo held firm behind its back line and goalkeeper Esteban Gonzalez, who made four first-half saves.
The biggest stop came in the 25th minute when Fort Lewis was awarded a penalty kick. Gonzalez denied Simão Agostinho from the spot to preserve the Pack's 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
The Skyhawks continued to push after the break and broke through when William Bretvik scored at 53:17 to even the match.
CSU Pueblo needed just 48 seconds to answer.
Cenek converted a penalty kick at 54:05 to restore the lead, with his fifth goal of the season ultimately standing as the game-winner.
The Pack added some breathing room less than six minutes later. Gonzalez launched a goal kick downfield that found Orozco Soto behind the Fort Lewis back line. Orozco Soto collected the ball and finished the one-on-one opportunity for a 3-1 lead, with Gonzalez earning the assist.
From there, CSU Pueblo managed the final 30 minutes despite continued pressure from the Skyhawks. Fort Lewis finished with 20 shots, including eight on goal, but Gonzalez recorded seven saves as the Pack limited the hosts to one goal. CSU Pueblo was especially efficient at the other end, putting four of its seven shots on frame and scoring three times.
The ThunderWolves also leaned on their depth throughout the afternoon, with Head Coach Thomás Pazo Tourinho utilizing every available field player on the bench.
"Super proud of the guys and their effort. This is a very difficult place to play and they made it extremely hard for us," Pazo Tourinho said. "We played every single field player on the bench and showed how deep this squad is. It wasn't the prettiest of wins but we showed character, grit, determination and a lot of drive to get the result.
"We are super proud to remain unbeaten but also understand that now it's a new season with conference play and must go into it with a 0-0 mentality. Go Pack!"
Up Next
CSU Pueblo now turns its attention to Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play and heads over the Continental Divide for road matches at Westminster and Colorado Mesa.
