Remember the date! Men's soccer records first-ever win, 3-1 at CCU
Powers, Jallow, Freeman lead Grizzlies to victory
LAKEWOOD, Colo. – October 15, 2010. That will forever be the answer in the Adams State College trivia book to the question: “On what date did the Grizzly men’s soccer team record its first win in program history?”
Friday was an historic afternoon for Grizzly athletics as numerous records fell but none was more significant than the fact that the ASC men’s soccer team, under the direction of first-year head coach Tim Busen, recorded its first ever win by a 3-1 score over Colorado Christian in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
The Cougars (1-13, 1-9 RMAC) escaped Murphy Field with a victory on Sept. 19, scoring the game-winning goal with just 19 seconds remaining in the second overtime period. The Grizzlies scored first in that match as they did on Friday, but refused to let CCU sniff a comeback.
It was only fitting that a trio of players who have been with the program since the beginning in senior David Powers (Fairbanks, Alaska) and juniors Joseph Jallow (Oldjeshwang, Gambia) and Peter Freeman (Longmont, Colo.), should score the three goals in the Grizzlies’ first-ever win, after 2,346 minutes and 24 seconds of game time spread out over 25 contests.
Freeman’s goal was his first of the season and ASC record-breaking fourth for his career. It came at the 11:58 mark on freshman Hawken Hanna’s (Haslett, Mich.) first career assist. The goal, which gives Freeman nine career points, also moves him into the all-time ASC lead in that category.
Adams State would only put one more shot on goal through the rest of the first half, but would go on to put eight on goal over the course of the game, the fourth highest single-game tally in program history, just behind the nine put on goal in both previous matches against CCU.
Despite playing with the lead, the bitter taste of letting their last meeting with Cougars slip away stayed in the Grizzlies’ collective mouths. The ASC offense continued to pressure CCU, looking for a second goal for just the second time this season, a feat last accomplished against Montana State-Billings on Sept. 13.
Just 11 minutes, 20 seconds into the second stanza, Jallow found Powers to put ASC up 2-0. It was Jallow’s single-season and career record-setting third assist of the season, and gave the Grizzlies a little breathing room.
But the Grizzlies would go on to tie the school record for goals in a game, scoring a third and final goal at the 78:10 mark, on an unassisted strike from Jallow. With three points in the contest, Jallow tied Rami Avalos for the ASC single-game record, and by recording a goal and an assist, became just the second Grizzly to record a multiple-point game. It also raises his season total to seven, good for second on the single-season list.
It was just the second three-goal game for Adams State, matching the tally they put in a 4-3 loss against the University of the Southwest (N.M.) in 2009.
Freshman Paul Pizza (Alamosa, Colo.) played all 90 minutes in the net, making five saves and allowing just one goal while recording the first win in Grizzly history. In doing so, he also moved into the single-season and career lead for wins. But the Cougars’ Grant Terzian spoiled the bid for the first shutout in program history, scoring an unassisted goal during the 81st minute and making the final score 3-1.
Jallow and Powers wrote their names all over the record books with their offensive play. Jallow’s goal was his second in as many games, and joins Powers, who also scored his second of the season on Friday, in a tie for third in single-season goals at ASC. For Powers, the goal was the first game-winner in program history and the third overall tally of his career, putting him in a tie for second all time.
In addition, Powers led the Grizzlies with six shots against the Cougars, tying the ASC record, set last season against CCU by Jesse Dunbar. Powers raised his season total to 20 shots, now the third-best single-season mark in the Grizzlies' young 2-year history. Jallow was close behind with five shots of his own in the match, putting him in a tie for third in Adams State annals, while his three shots on goal in the contest ties Powers for first, as Powers put three shots on goal against Colorado Christian in their early-season match.
The Grizzlies’ eight points and two assists tied team records in each category, both set against the University of the Southwest last season. The 20 shots taken as a team is the third-best mark in program history, behind only the 28 and 21 shots taken in Adams State’s two other matches with the Cougars.
Freshman Alex Hernandez (Holt, Mich.) had a career-best three shots on Friday, and Freeman was the fourth Grizzly with multiple shots, taking two. Behind Jallow’s three shots on goal, Powers, Freeman, Hernandez, Hanna and freshman Henry Stewart (Las Cruces, N.M.) each had one shot on goal as well.
As a team, Adams State has now scored nine goals this season, just three shy of the 12 they recorded last season.
The Grizzlies will take the momentum from their first-ever win into their toughest match of the season this Sunday, as they’ll take on nationally No. 1-ranked Colorado Mines in Golden. The Orediggers enter their Friday afternoon match-up against UC-Colorado Springs with a record of 11-0-1 and are 8-0-1 in the RMAC. Mines has limited its opponents to just five goals this season while putting up 37 of their own, and have held their challengers to a shooting percentage of .036.
Fans who can’t make it out to see the Grizzlies take on the top-ranked team in the country can follow the action with live stats.
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