Photo by: Greg Lau

TheB DUB men’sB soccerB teamB continuedB itsB strongB seasonB withB winsB overB

conferenceB rivalsB NewB MexicoB andB the University of Nevada-Las VegasB thisB pastB weekend at home.B

AfterB shuttingB outB defendingB nationalB runner-upB NewB MexicoB 1-0B on Friday,B the PioneersB trouncedB UNLVB inB aB decisiveB 5-0B winB Sunday.

“WeB playedB wellB overB theB entireB weekend,”B saidB HeadB CoachB Chad Ashton.

SophomoreB JoeyB Mathot’sB goalB inB theB 23rdB minuteB propelledB theB PioneersB

toB victoryB overB powerfulB NewB MexicoB Friday.B AlsoB contributingB toB team’sB successB wasB juniorB goalie Matt Bredehoft,B whoB notchedB aB season bestB sixB savesB inB theB narrowB victory.B

DefeatingB NewB Mexico boostedB theB PioneersB overB UNLVB Sunday,B said Ashton, “ThatB definitelyB helped.B B TheyB tookB theB necessaryB stepsB andB maintainedB theirB highB levelB ofB playB fromB Friday.”

TheB PioneersB dominatedB UNLVfromB theB openingB whistle.B B SophomoreB JoeyB MathotB gaveB theB PioneersB aB 1-0B lead inB theB thirdB minuteB byB connectingB onB a directB penaltyB kick.B

AB fewB minutesB later,B freshman CollinB AudleyB headedB aB passB from sophomoreB ColinB JonesB intoB theB net, makingB theB scoreB 2-0B inB theB seventh

minute.B B

OnlyB twoB minutesB afterB that,B seniorB JamesB MerrimanB scoopedB upB a deflectedB shotB andB sentB itB homeB toB makeB theB scoreB 3-0B byB theB ninethB minute.B B

AshtonB saidB theB earlyB goalsB wereB allB partB ofB theB plan.B B “ItB sounds silly,B butB thatB wasB kindB ofB ourB gameB plan.B GiveB ourB guysB aB lotB ofB creditB forB forcingB mistakes,”B he said.B

TheB PioneersB continuedB theB attackB inB theB secondB half.B B SeniorB Ben MendozzaB headedB aB crossB pass fromB AudleyB intoB theB upperB netB inB theB 59thB

minute.B

InB theB 63rdB minute,B juniorB JacobB ChaseB headedB aB lobB from seniorB MikeB SeagerB intoB theB goal,B bringingB the scoreB toB 5-0.B B

DU dominat4eed the game all around, as UNLVB hadB onlyB twoB shotsB onB goalB theB entireB game,B comparedB toB the Pioneers’B 13.B B B B

AshtonB placesB allB creditB withB “theB playersB onB theB team.”

“OutB ofB 26B players,B weB gotB 13B newB players,B soB youB haveB toB giveB allB theB guys, includingB theB newB guys,B aB lotB ofB creditB forB creatingB aB positiveB teamB

dynamic,”B he said.B

The Pioneers will look to improve on their 6-3-1 record when they take on the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Saturday.