AZUSA, Calif. – Two freshmen gave the #14-ranked Colorado School of Mines Men's Soccer team its 2-1 victory over #20 Texas A&M-International on Thursday evening as Ian Kugler and Adam Kindorf teamed up for the game-winning goal at the Cougar Soccer Complex.
 
Kindorf scored the goal and Kugler notched the assist on the game-winning play. Ryan Wilson also scored for Mines thanks to the assist from Lucas King. Michael Sprauer was the only Oredigger with multiple shots in the game. Patrick Allan, Ford Edwards, Talon Stanley, Ben Overholt and Kugler all recorded single attempts as well. Defensively, goalkeeper Drew Johnson (14-3-4) notched four saves and earned the victory.
 
Mines (14-3-4) narrowly edged Texas A&M-International (12-7-1) in shots by a margin of 9-8. The Dustdevils even put more shots on goals than the Orediggers, 5-3. However, the difference proved to be four saves for Mines compared to one from TAMIU. The victory extends the Orediggers' unbeaten streak to six consecutive games. Meanwhile, Texas A&M-International sees its season come to a close after earning the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
As dusk turned to night in Azusa, Calif., temperatures in the 60's and partly cloudy skies greeted both teams on the pitch at the Cougar Soccer Complex. Mines appearing in its ninth NCAA Tournament and Texas A&M-International experiencing its first-ever NCAA postseason. Despite the discrepancy in postseason experience, both teams took the first 15 minutes to cautiously test the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition.
 
The cautious probing all changed in the 18th minute when the Orediggers put themselves on the board. With a throw-in opportunity 17:40 into the match, Mines executed its season-long game plan perfectly. King grasped the ball and launched it to the center of the field right at the six-yard line. A flick of the head from Wilson sent the ball away from the Dustdevil goalkeeper and off the crossbar. The ball ricocheted down and back across the goal line, giving Mines the 1-0 advantage.
 
That advantage lasted exactly 8:53 before TAMIU found its equalizer. The opposition's goal came in the 27th minute. A pass across the top of the penalty area led to a touch inside followed by a pass to the left side of the goal. Johan Portales used just one touch to slip the ball inside the near post, tying the game at 1-1. While it appeared the match would go into halftime all knotted up, that fate was not to be. In the 44th minute, Kugler took the ball and charged into the penalty area. As he approached the end line, the true freshman sent a quick pass across the goal mouth. Kindorf stood on the receiving end and redirected the ball to the back of the net for a 2-1, Mines lead at halftime.
 
The Orediggers took their lead and parlayed it into early pressure in the second half. Through the first 20 minutes of the second frame, the Orediggers took three shots and put one of those on goal. Meanwhile, Mines' defense limited Texas A&M-International to zero shots over that same span. In fact, the Dustdevils did not manage their first attempt of the second half until the 68th minute. At that point, TAMIU ripped off two more shots in a span of five minutes, but Johnson was there to stop the lone attempt on goal. However, that proved to be the Dustdevils' best effort. Only one more shot was taken before the clock ran out and Mines clinched the victory.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 2-0 in the all-time series against Texas A&M-International.
- Friday marks the Orediggers' first NCAA Tournament victory since Nov. 20, 2015.
- Mines' victory over TAMIU was its fourth win in the NCAA postseason. The Orediggers are now 4-8-2 in the NCAA Tournament.
- Wilson's goal was the first Mines tally in an NCAA Tournament since Nov. 22, 2015. He moves up to two on the year and seven in his career.
- Kindorf's goal marked his second tally of the season. Both of the true freshman's goals were game-winning scores.
- King touts eight assists on the season and 13 assists in his career. Both numbers lead all active Orediggers.
- Kugler's assist was his fourth of the season and gives the true freshman points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. Kugler also scored the lone goal against Regis in the RMAC Tournament.
- The last time Mines advanced in the NCAA postseason was in 2017 in a shootout victory at St. Edward's.
- Mulholland boasts an overall record of 49-9-6 in three seasons as Mines' head coach. Thursday marked his first win in the NCAA Tournament. He is 1-2-1 as a head coach in the NCAA Tournament.
 
UP NEXT
Mines faces #1-ranked and top-seeded Azusa Pacific on Saturday at 6 p.m. in California. Live stats and video of the match will be available at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all season long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics. Fans can also follow Mines Men's Soccer on Twitter using the handle @MinesMSOC.