Fort Collins, CO – Coming off a heartbreaking 11-10 loss in 5 overtimes last Saturday against unranked Utah, the #4 Colorado State Rams bounced back to defeat the #25 Arizona Wildcats 11-8 at home in a non-conference match-up between two storied programs in the MCLA. Much like their game against Utah, CSU led 10-7 midway through the fourth quarter, but this time they held on for the victory, playing smart and physical down the stretch. Sophomore defenseman Andrew Stein (Columbine HS; CO) was on point in the defensive end and even pitched in with a goal and an assist to help propel the Rams to their ninth victory on the season with an 11-8 win.

Arizona jumped out to an early 3-1 lead thanks to some precision shooting, but CSU roared back with 4 goals in less than 3 minutes to take a lead they would not relinquish for the rest of the day. The Rams got balanced scoring in the first half as 6 different players scored the team’s 7 goals. Arizona hung tough in the second quarter only to watch as senior midfielder Dylan Bowman (Fairview HS; CO) scored a huge goal with just :13 left in the half to put the Rams up 7-5 at the break.

Arizona knotted the score at 7-7 midway through the third quarter on consecutive goals by Curtis Fillmore. After that however, CSU’s offense outscored the Wildcats 4-1 over the final 21:24 of the contest to secure the win. Freshman Paul Larson (Columbine HS; CO) had a game-high 3 goals on the afternoon while Bowman had 2 goals. Arizona had five players tally two points, including Eric Poole, who had 2 goals and 1 assist to lead the Wildcats.

CSU found some success at the face-off ‘x’ as Scott Gelston (Air Academy HS; CO) and Pat Miller (Air Academy HS; CO) combined to go 16/23. Freshman long stick midfielder Mark Moskovics (Monarch HS; CO) had 4 groundballs on the afternoon, but the groundball award for the day went to CSU’s senior midfielder Ryan MacDonald (Smoky Hill HS; CO). While MacDonald had one goal, his 12 grounders far outpaced anyone on either team.

Half of Arizona’s 8 goals were scored on the man-up as CSU was flagged for 7 penalties on the day, but the six on six defense was good enough for the Rams to hold U of A at bay. The win marks CSU’s second straight over Arizona by this 11-8 score as the Rams defeated the Wildcats in the national quarterfinals in 2006.

Colorado State (9-3 overall; 0-1 RMLC) has one of their biggest games of the year on Saturday afternoon as the #6 Brigham Young University Cougars come calling for a crucial RMLC match-up. CSU has not defeated the Cougars since the 2006 MCLA semifinals and will need to play well to beat BYU in the country’s premiere rivalry.