Dixie State moved into the driver's seat to clinch the sixth and final RMAC men's soccer tournament spot on the strength of a 3-2 road result at CSU-Pueblo Sunday afternoon at Gonzalez Stadium. The win vaulted the Trailblazers (8-7-1) into sole possession of sixth place in the RMAC table at 7-5-0 (21 points), three points ahead of now seventh place CSUP (6-10-0/6-6-0 RMAC; 18 pts).
After the Thunderwolves struck the for the first goal of the day just 2:47 into play, Dixie State answered with the first of three unanswered goals nearly seven minutes later when
Idris Alabi (3) finished a ball played in by
Logan Beus to knot the score at 1-1.
The scored remained deadlocked until late in the 65
th-minute when Beus tucked home his second goal of the season to give the Blazers a 2-1 advantage. Dixie State would add a big insurance goal with 6:08 to play when after a CSUP foul inside its 18-yard box,
Moises Medina converted a penalty kick for his team-leading eighth goal of the year, and his record 13
th game-winning goal of his career, to give DSU a two-goal cushion.
The ThunderWolves would cut the deficit in half with 3:29 remaining in regulation thanks to a Joe McKee goal. However that would be the last shot CSUP would attempt as the Blazers held on for their second-straight road win.
Dixie State outshot CSUP 11-10, while both sides finished with six shots on goal apiece. Senior goalkeeper
Zach Nielson made four saves to earn his eighth win in goal on the year.
Dixie State will wrap up the 2019 regular season next weekend with a pair of matches, the first coming at on the road at in-state rival Westminster College in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. DSU will then return home for a "Senior Day" match vs. Colorado Christian inside Trailblazer Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 1:30 p.m.