GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Gage Wood scored at 89:58, just two seconds before the end of regulation, to give the Westminster men's soccer team a 3-2 win over Colorado Mesa on Wednesday afternoon at Community Hospital Unity Field. The Griffins closed the regular season on a high note, finishing fifth in the RMAC standings and clinching a berth in the RMAC Tournament.
Game Breakdown
First Half
Westminster had the better of the shots in the first half, out-shooting Colorado Mesa 7-4, but the Mavericks scored first. Parker Stebbing had a shot go high at 6:49, and Owen Gallo forced a save from Mesa goalkeeper Kenneth Linn at 7:58. Oliver Olsen saved a James Maxwell shot at 16:13, and Edoardo Oliveri scored at 16:16, assisted by Richie Tabares Ochoa, to make it 1-0.
The Griffins kept pushing for the rest of the half. Ashton Duran had a shot go wide left at 19:11, Stebbing had one wide right at 28:34, and Jack Epstein had shots blocked at 35:11 and wide left at 37:51. Wood had a chance go high at 38:31, but Westminster trailed 1-0 at halftime.
Second Half
The Griffins came out strong after the break. Gallo (49:24) and Wood (51:44) both forced saves from Linn. At 52:24, Cam Neeley scored his second goal of the season, assisted by Ishmeal Mensah, to tie the match at 1-1. Just 2:01 later, at 54:25, Gallo scored an unassisted goal, his sixth of the season, to put Westminster up 2-1.
Colorado Mesa pushed back, firing all 10 of its second-half shots after that goal and holding a 4-0 edge in second-half corner kicks. The Griffins' defense kept the Mavericks from scoring again until 81:30, when Tabares Ochoa converted a penalty kick, Mesa's only shot on target of the half, to tie the match at 2-2.
The Griffins answered in the final minutes. Mensah (86:45) and Gallo (86:55) both had shots blocked, and Gallo then set up the winner. At 89:58, Wood scored his sixth goal of the season off the Gallo assist for the 3-2 final.
Griffin Performances
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Gage Wood scored the game-winning goal, his sixth of the season, and fired four shots, two on target, in 62 minutes off the bench
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Owen Gallo scored a goal, assisted on the winner, and fired four shots, three on target, over 67 minutes
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Cam Neeley scored his second goal of the season on his only shot in 69 minutes
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Ishmeal Mensah recorded the assist on Neeley's goal and added a shot in 89 minutes
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Jack Epstein fired three shots in 86 minutes
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Oliver Olsen earned the win in goal, making one save in 90 minutes
Final Stats
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Shots: Westminster 18, Colorado Mesa 14
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Shots on Goal: Westminster 6, Colorado Mesa 3
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Corner Kicks: Colorado Mesa 5, Westminster 1
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Fouls: Colorado Mesa 12, Westminster 11
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Saves: Colorado Mesa 3 (Linn), Westminster 1 (Olsen)
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Offsides: Westminster 0, Colorado Mesa 0
With the win, Westminster finishes the regular season at 7-7-4 overall and 5-4-1 in RMAC play. The Griffins end fifth in the final standings with 16 points and have clinched a spot in the RMAC Tournament. Colorado Mesa finishes 4-4-9 overall and 2-3-5 in conference play.
Up Next
As the No. 5 seed, Westminster faces the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) in the RMAC Tournament quarterfinal on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2:30 p.m. at Mountain Lion Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Griffins and UCCS played to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 27 at Dumke Field.
