RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota School of Mines men's soccer team will take the pitch at home this week as the Hardrockers play host to two of the better teams the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference has to offer.
 
Friday's game pits the Hardrockers against the 6-5-2 Fort Lewis College Skyhawks. This game will feature a different venue for 'Rockers as the game will be played at the Dakota Soccer Complex just on the outskirts of Rapid City east of town.
 
It will also be the Hardrockers Senior Night. The ceremony for the graduating seniors will take place at 5:45 p.m. just before the start of the game. 
 
Fort Lewis is on a downward trend, with only one win in their last five RMAC matchups. The lone 'W' coming last week over Westminster College.
 
The Skyhawks split this past weekend, pulling out a big 1-0 victory over Westminster on an early goal from Bar Hazut. FLC also scored early against Dixie State when Hakeem Rabiu knocked home a header, but the Trailblazers slowly worked their way back in, tying the game before half and then taking the victory on a penalty kick goal in the second half.
 
As a team, FLC has 25 goals on 225 shots, with 100 landing on goal. Opponents counter with 18 goals on 137 shots and 58 on goal. Hazut leads the offense with 15 points, recording six goals and three assists. Ty Lang has 12 points on four goals and four assists, Ryan Lee adds 11 points with five goals and an assist and Rabiu is also in double-figures with 10 points tallying three goals and four assists. Lang leads the team in minutes with 1,211, followed by 1,187 from Ventura Salcido and 1,137 from Nicolas Perez. Salcido has played every game in goal this season, starting at 13 and posting a 1.31 goals against average, with 38 saves. He also has three shutouts, most recently against Westminster this past Friday.
 
As a team, FLC ranks high in several RMAC and national categories including first in the RMAC and 20^th nationally in assists per game (2.15), first in the RMAC and 59^th nationally in corner kicks per game (5.31), third in the RMAC and 41^st nationally in points per game (6.00), fourth in the RMAC and 69^th nationally in scoring offense per game (1.92), second in the RMAC and 21^st nationally in shots per game (17.31), second in the RMAC and 29^th nationally in shots on goal per game (7.69), fifth in the RMAC and 93^rd nationally in shutout percentage (.231), sixth in the RMAC and 72^nd nationally in team goals against average (1.314), second in the RMAC and 21^st nationally in total assists (28), fifth in the RMAC and 63^rd nationally in total goals (25), fourth in the RMAC and 42^nd nationally in total points (78), sixth in the RMAC and 92^nd nationally in win-loss percentage (.538).
 
On Sunday the Hardrockers will return to Sioux Park to face off against No. 24 Colorado Mesa University (9-1-3) at 11 a.m.
 
Colorado Mesa is 3-1-1 in their last five RMAC matches having recently lost to Westminster College 2-0 last weekend in Grand Junction, CO. Senior midfielder Kevin Del Mazo has six goals and eight assists (20 points) this season, Junior forward Lawan Abary however leads the team in points and has 11 goals and 1 assist (23 points).
 
Last weekend the Hardrockers traveled to Denver, Colo. for games against MSU Denver and Colorado Christian University. In the first game against MSU Denver, the Hardrockers found themselves in a game that they could have won. After giving up the first goal early in the second half, the Hardrockers bounced back with a goal by senior midfielder Noah McKenzie. From that point the Hardrockers dominated the game and were sure they would get the winner. Multiple attempts on the MSU goal were unsuccessful and the game would require overtime. In overtime, MSU came out flying and were able to put away the game winner in four and a half minutes.
 
Because of snow, the game against Colorado Christian that was supposed to be played on Sunday got pushed forward to Saturday evening. In a game that was very physical and saw over 50 combined fouls 6 yellow cards and 1 red card, the score remained 0-0 through regulation time. In overtime the Hardrockers were determined to get their first overtime win of the season, but time ran out on them, and the two teams ended in a tie. Justin Barkow led the Hardrockers with 5 shots and 1 shot on goal, Senior goalkeeper Kyle Daledovich recorded his second shutout of the season while making two saves.
 
The Hardrockers are 2-9-3 overall. They currently are tenth in RMAC with a 1-6-3 conference record. As a team, the Hardrockers have 12 goals on 146 shots, with 63 landing on goal. Opponents have 23 goals on 185 shots, with 94 landing on net. Ian DeBois leads the team in points with 10, as he has five goals. Justin Barkow adds eight points with three goals and two assists. Kyle Daledovich has logged the most minutes with 1,234, followed by 1,077 from Cameron Thompson. In goal, Daledovich has started all 14 games and has a 1.56 goals against average, 71 saves and a .755 save percentage.