#5 Colorado State Takes Care of #22 Loyola Marymount

#5 Colorado State Takes Care of #22 Loyola Marymount

Fort Collins, CO – The #5 Colorado State Rams took a 9-3 lead into the halftime break and held off a lively #22 Loyola Marymount squad in the second half to get their third straight win on Sunday afternoon. CSU’s first home game of the season was played under a beautiful sunny sky and warm temperatures as the Rams ran their record to 3-1 on the season with their 14-9 win.

One day after a big victory against Division III rival Colorado College, CSU started the game hot offensively, scoring two goals in the first 1:06. In fact, the Rams had already scored five goals before the game was even five minutes old. By the time the high-scoring first quarter was over, the teams had combined for 10 goals and Colorado State held a 6-4 lead.

The Rams turned up the pressure in the second quarter, pumping home three goals and allowing none on the other end of the field. Junior midfielder John Tomlinson (Smoky Hill HS; Aurora, CO) had a goal and an assist in the second quarter to help push CSU push their lead. Colorado State peppered LMU goalie Luga Podesta, but he held strong, making nine saves in the second quarter to keep the game close. Podesta finished with 22 saves and played extremely well in a losing effort.

After senior midfielder Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS; Oakland, CA) scored just :24 into the third quarter, the CSU offense hit the doldrums. Podesta and the LMU defense kept CSU off the scoreboard for the next 23 minutes as they tightened the gap to 10-7. But Bird and senior attackman Danny Stevens (Suffern HS; Suffern, NY) combined for two quick goals and sophomore Will Cantwell (Lakewood HS; Lakewood, CO) added another in the span of a minute and a half to put away the game. The Rams outscored the Lions 4-3 in the fourth quarter for the 14-9 win.

CSU was led once again by Stevens, who’s two goals and three assists led all scorers. Fellow attackmen Campbell Diebolt (Central Bucks East; Doylestown, PA) and Brian Stone (Air Academy HS; Colorado Springs, CO) added three points a piece and Bird pitched in with two goals as well. LMU’s top scorer was attackman Brian Minkler, who finished with four goals.

Sophomore Lance Simmons (Thunder Ridge HS; Highlands Ranch, CO) got his second win of the season in goal for the Rams, recording 8 saves while giving up 9 goals in 60 minutes of play.

Colorado State (3-1) faces their most difficult stretch of the season next week when they bus to Utah to play four games in five days against Utah State, BYU, Utah and Minnesota-Duluth. The first three games of the trip will be RMLC league contests and will go a long way in determining conference seedings for the upcoming league tournament. LMU plays Colorado on Wednesday before heading back out to California.