CSU Opens League Play With 19-4 Victory Over Visiting Utah
Fort Collins, CO
By Alex Smith
March 27, 2004
In 2003, the Utah Utes were the only USL-MDIA team to
defeat the Colorado State Rams on their way to the National Championship.
The unranked Utes won 5-4 on a dreary day in Orem, UT to pull the upset
shocker of the year. This year’s version of the Rams was not about to have
a let down in their first league game of the season and romped to a 19-4
victory at their home field on campus Saturday afternoon. Fifteen players
notched points in a balanced and complete effort from start to finish.
Matt Disney (Heritage HS, CO) was on fire from the get-go on Saturday,
registering two goals and three assists to give him game high point honors
with five. After Pat Bird (Bishop O’Dowd HS, CA) got things going with the
first goal of the game, Disney scored an unassisted goal and followed that
up with an assist on a goal by Derek Koll (Fort Collins HS, CO). The rest
of the CSU starting attack was in top form as well. Nick Stanitz-Harper
(Eaglecrest HS, CO) and Kelten Johnson (Bainbridge HS, WA) each scored four
points to give the starting attack a point total of 13 on the day.
With the Rams up 4-1 at the end of the first, CSU’s offense was ready to
explode. Led by Tim Farquhar’s (Collegiate HS, VA) three points in the
first five minutes of the second quarter, the Rams went on a 7-0 run that
was punctuated by Bird’s second goal of the game with under a minute left in
the half. Farquhar also had four points with two goals and two assists.
The Rams ended the half up 11-1 and the game was no longer in doubt.
Pete Jokisch (Rochurst Jesuit, KS) continued his bid for national
consideration with a nine save, one goal against performance. With this
game, Jokisch is currently saving 74.8% of the shots he has faced on the
season.
A bright spot for the visiting Utes was the face-off game. After Dave Clark
(Cherry Creek HS, CO) won the first five of the game, the Utes made
adjustments to win a substantial amount of their own. Utah finished ahead
in the face-off department by winning 16/26 draws.
Everyone on the Colorado State roster got in the game and got significant
playing time, especially in the second half. Freshman Brian Stone (Air
Academy HS, CO) played a very good game, adding two groundballs to his first
goal of the season.
Next up for Colorado State (13-0 overall; 1-0 RMLC) will be the Michigan
Invitational in Ann Arbor, MI. The three game road trip will be a tough
test for the Rams, who will play three ranked teams in three days. CSU will
play #5 Michigan, #12 Minnesota-Duluth, and #2 UC-Santa Barbara in that
order. Utah (5-3; 0-1) will play #7 Colorado on Monday.
Game Notes:
- Utah’s dominance at the face-off ‘x’ was an aberration on the season. The
Rams have won the face-off battle in each of their other games.
- Mark Plonkey had six groundballs in the game, making his total 105 for the
season.
- After CSU’s trip to Michigan, they will be at home for the remainder of
the regular season. Post season trips to Salt Lake City, UT and St. Louis,
MO await the Rams if they continue to play well.
- Stanitz-Harper and Johnson continue to lead the team in points, with 52
and 49 respectively. Farquhar now stands at 41 after his four point game.
- With their 7-0 second quarter, the Rams now have outscored teams 67-13 in
the second stanza this year.
Goals by Quarters:
CSU: 4 – 7 – 5 – 3 = 19
Utah: 1 – 0 – 1 – 2 = 4
Goals:
CSU: Stanitz-Harper (3), Disney, Johnson, Farquhar and Bird (2), Robinson,
Reiss, Stevens, Murphy, Koll, Chorey, Everett, Stone (1)
Utah: Turkula (2), Fernandez, Ellison (1)
Assists:
CSU: Disney (3), Johnson and Farquhar (2), Stanitz-Harper, Eichhorn,
Robinson, Johns, Reiss, Stevens (1)
Utah: Love, Ellison (1)
Goaltenders:
CSU: Jokisch (37:30 minutes, 9 saves, 1 goals against), Bisnette (15:00
minutes, 3 saves, 1 goals against), Fitzgerald (7:30 minutes, 4 saves, 2
goals against)
Utah: Johnson (60:00 minutes, 8 saves, 19 goals against)
Face-Offs Won:
CSU: 10/26
Utah: 16/26
Shots:
CSU: 44
Utah: 28
Ground Balls:
CSU: 45
Utah: 39
Extra Man:
CSU: 2/6
Utah: 0/4
Penalties:
CSU: 5 for 3:00
Utah: 6 for 3:00
Attendance: 150 |
