GOLDEN, COLORADO – The University of the Incarnate Word men's soccer team grabbed a measure of revenge on Saturday afternoon in their 4-2 win at Colorado School of Mines in the Second Round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.  The #13 Cardinals (14-3-1) lost to the #19 Orediggers (14-5-2), 3-2 in the second game of the season.

“It was pretty even after the first half with the score 2-2,” said UIW head coach Vince Martinez.  “I thought we proved we were a little bit better of a team in the second half.  We were able to capitalize on a few set pieces.” 

The Cardinals and Orediggers had to contend with snow flurries throughout the game, but the weather did not stop both high-powered offenses from finding the goal.  The Cardinals scored first inside of five minutes when Vincent Bailey (Southport, Eng./Savio HS) sent a corner kick to Alex de la Garza (Mission/Sharyland HS) just outside of the box and he lofted a shot past CSM's goalkeeper Manville Strand at 4:50.

Mines did not wait long to even the score.  A low cross from Zach Page-Belknap to Baski Baker was forwarded on to Tesho Akindele who scored on a shot from directly in front of the goal nine yards out at 12:10.  It was his 22^nd goal of the season and fourth against the Cardinals.

Ten minutes later, the Cardinals went back on top.  Robin Nicholls (London, Eng./Bath University tossed a long throw-in to the box that was headed home by Leon Taylor (Dallas/Plano West HS) at 22:07 to make it 2-1.  It was Taylor's fourth goal of the season.

However, the Orediggers responded quickly for a second time.  Akindele set up Page-Belknap with a low cross that he was able to convert from 15 yards out at 30:03. 

The teams went into halftime tied at 2-2, but the second half would be a different story.  “We made some adjustments at halftime and collectively we did a better job at slowing down some of their very talented offensive players,” said Martinez.

The score remained tied at 2-2 until midway through the second half.  UIW junior defender Josh Ferona (El Segundo, CA/El Segundo HS) struck for the sixth time this year.  Bailey sent in a quality corner kick that Ferona headed past the goalkeeper at 68:29 giving him a team-high five game-winning goals on the season.

The Cardinals put the game away less than four minutes later.  Abraham Campos (Visalia, CA/Golden West HS) crossed a pass from the far left wing to de la Garza who pocketed his second goal of the game and seventh of the season at 72:11.

The Cardinals outshot the Orediggers 11-6 in the second half after being outshot, 8-5 in the first half.  UIW goalkeeper Jarred Kahan (Houston/Clear Brook HS) made two saves while his counterpart, Manville Strand, was forced to make eight saves in the contest.

The Cardinals advance to the Sweet 16 to take on South Central Region #1 seed Regis University at a site and time to be determined.
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