Pack men stuck with bittersweet 2-2 tie

PUEBLO, Colo. - The CSU-Pueblo men's soccer team may have its playoff hopes all but gone, but Friday's matchup with Mesa State certainly had the look of two teams duking it out for a final postseason position. Unfortunately for the ThunderWolves, several late chances went wide as the Pack could only salvage a 2-2 tie with the Mavericks.

Early on the game has the looks of a shootout, as the Mavs struck first blood with a beautiful header by Ben Potter that flew just past the grasp of Pack keeper Arturo Moranchel, giving Mesa State a 1-0 lead just five minutes into the game.

Fifteen minutes later, the ThunderWolves evened the score as Austin Forakis sent in a ball that rolled in front of Mesa keeper Josh Tinaglia for a much-needed goal that took away Mesa State's advantage.

From there on, for all intents and purposes, it was the ThunderWolves' game - but goals simply didn't find the net. Both teams were virtually even in the shots category after the first half, but the ThunderWolves outshot the Mavericks 16-7 throughout, playing much of the second half in the Mesa State end. Each team was able to muster one more goal, each sending in rebounds in front of the opposing net.

But as has been the case for the ThunderWolves this season, opposing goalkeepers seem to play the games of their lives when they visit Pueblo. Tinaglia made leaping fingertip save after fingertip save, ending every key chance the ThunderWolves seemed to get.

The result was a 2-2 tie that left a sour taste in the Pack's mouths, evident of a season where tough luck seems to trump effective opportunity-creation.

"Today we created a ton of good chances," Pack coach Roy Stanley said, "even more so than we did in previous games this season. We created lots of good chances inside the 12-yard mark, and had a couple breakaways and all the rest, but we just to continue to try to find our finisher."

The tie officially knocks the Pack out of playoff contention, allowing them to finish no better than fifth place in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Only four teams advance to the postseason.

The Pack will finish their season on Sunday with a home match against Fort Lewis at 3:30 p.m. at the Rawlings Soccer Complex.