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DENVER, Colo. - The No. 21 Metro State men's soccer team opened the 2009 season with a 2-0 shutout over the University of Mary (N.D.) on Saturday afternoon at Auraria Field in Denver.  Mary dropped to 1-1 with the loss after defeating Regis 2-1 on Thursday.  Metro State has now won nine of its past 10 season openers, including three straight.

Sophomore goalkeeper Dominique Griffith (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill H.S.) earned the shutout with five saves in his first career game.  He becomes the first Metro State goalkeeper to earn a shutout in his first career game since Zac Loescher on Sept. 2, 1996, in a 3-0 win over Colorado State-Pueblo.

Scoring for the Roadrunners were Scott Grode (Gilbert, Ariz./Basha H.S.) and Ri Armstrong (Aurora, Colo./Rangeview H.S.).  Metro State had many opportunities to add to the score, but could not capitalize more than twice on 29 shot attempts and nine shots on goal.

Grode found the net just over eight minutes into the game as he broke free on the left side and tapped a cross by Ryan Brooks (Arvada, Colo./Arvada West H.S.) past UMary goalkeeper Derek Luptak.  Metro State had numerous opportunities to add to the lead in the first half as it outshot UMary 12-4 and had a 9-2 advantage on corner kicks before half.

A flurry of Metro State shots opened the second half after a brief attack by Mary as the Roadrunners attempted four shots in the first six minutes, including a shot by Steven Emory (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins H.S.) that was saved by Luptak and a shot by Tyler Hambrick (Northglenn, Colo./Faith Christian H.S.) that hit the post.  Mike Martinez (Thornton, Colo./Horizon H.S.) had two shots sail high in the 55th minute on another Metro State attack.

Armstrong finally found the net on a header right in front of the goal after a cross from the left corner by Scott Crawford (Arvada, Colo./Pomona H.S.) in the 80th minute.

Metro State will hit the road for seven consecutive games away from Denver, beginning on Friday, Sept. 4 at Midwestern State (Texas).