Alamosa, Colo. – In a tough matchup at ASU Soccer Field, Adams State fell to UC-Colorado Springs 5-0. Despite a strong defensive effort in the first half, Adams State couldn't hold off UCCS, who exploded with five second-half goals.
The first half saw UCCS control much of the possession, recording four shots and forcing one save from Fernandez. Adams State, though outshot, was resilient on defense, keeping UCCS off the board despite their pressure. The Grizzlies managed only one shot in the first half, a close-range effort from Tim Mietenkorte in the 28th minute that was saved by UCCS goalkeeper Soren Russell.
However, the second half told a different story, as UCCS came out of the break with a renewed sense of urgency and precision. The floodgates opened in the 50th minute when UCCS's Dani Barajas broke the deadlock, scoring the first goal of the match. From that point, UCCS capitalized on their momentum, with Miles Seminario doubling the lead in the 62nd minute off an assist from Barajas. Just minutes later, Jack Souder found the back of the net, assisted by Hugo Nordenberg, putting UCCS up 3-0 and leaving Adams State struggling to regain their footing.
Despite the mounting pressure, Fernandez continued to battle in goal, making several more stops to try to keep his team in the game. UCCS, however, maintained their dominance and added a fourth goal in the 79th minute courtesy of Drew Sanchez. The final blow came just minutes later when Nordenberg scored UCCS's fifth goal in the 82nd minute, assisted by Gael Hernandez.
The Grizzlies struggled to create scoring opportunities throughout the match, registering only two shots, both of which were on target. Forward Tobias Sereinig recorded Adams State's only other shot in the 51st minute, but it was saved by Russell. Defensively, Adams State was forced to defend 11 corner kicks and committed 13 fouls in an effort to slow down UCCS's attack, which resulted in yellow cards for Leonardo Villacorta, Avery Richards, and Kaidin Reese.
Adams State goalkeeper JP Fernandez made seven saves, but UCCS overwhelmed the Grizzlies with an 18-shot barrage, 12 of which were on target. Tobias Sereinig and Tim Mietenkorte registered the only shots for Adams State, both on target but saved by UCCS goalie Soren Russell.
Despite the defeat, Adams State can take away positives from its defensive organization in the first half and the continued strong performances of key players like Fernandez. The Grizzlies will travel to Denver next weekend to take on MSU Denver on Thursday.
