DURANGO, Colo. — Thomas Hoang scored in the 30th minute to lead No. 3 Fort Lewis (16-1-0 overall, 11-1-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 1-0 win over a stubborn Colorado State-Pueblo (4-9-3, 4-6-2) side today at Dirks Field.

“We didn’t have enough quality in going forward to take our chances,” said third-year FLC skipper Oige Kennedy. “I think we had 70 percent of the possession, but when you don’t take your chances, you give the other team confidence to get things going.”

The Skyhawks only needed one quality scoring chance to get on the board. Derek Freeman found Cory Dean open in the CSUP half of the field in transition and Dean sprung Hoang with a through ball. Rather than blasting a shot, Hoang ran onto the ball, settled himself, and then chipped a shot over ThunderWolves goalkeeper Jacob Blum that dropped safely into the goal. It was Hoang’s sixth marker of the 2011 campaign.

“It was a great ball from Cory to set up the play,” said Kennedy. “When the keeper came out, Thomas calmly lifted the ball over his head. Both of his goals this weekend really showed his ability to finish.”

Neither team could muster any quality chances in the second half.

Fort Lewis outshot the ThunderWolves 15-9 overall, 4-2 in shots on frame. Blum made three saves for CSUP, while Ryan Wirth stopped the only two shots on goal he faced in recording his 11th shutout of the season.

Today marked the final regular season home game for six Skyhawk seniors: Hoang, Dean, Berekk Blackwell, Fabian Kling, Joey Madigan, and Markus Lux. Wirth is an academic senior, but has eligibility remaining and could return season next year should he choose.

Fort Lewis wraps up the regular season at 1 p.m. Sunday at Adams State (3-10-2, 2-9-1).

By virtue of winning the RMAC regular season title, the Skyhawks earned the right to host at least one semifinal game in the RMAC playoffs on Friday, Nov. 4. The full league playoff schedule will be announced next Sunday following the conclusion of the regular season.

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