Box Score Box Score

DENVER - No. 18 Metro State scored five second-half goals as the host Roadrunners pounded UC-Colorado Springs 6-0 on Sunday afternoon.  Metro State improved to 9-5-1 overall and 7-4-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, while UCCS fell to 8-7-0 and 6-5-0.

It was the most goals ever scored by the Roadrunners against an above- .500 RMAC opponent.  The last time Metro State scored five goals against a winning RMAC opponent was 2007.

Scott Crawford (Arvada, Colo./Pomona H.S.) and Scott Grode (Gilbert, Ariz./Basha H.S.) each scored two goals.  For Crawford, it was his first career multi-goal game.  It was Grode's seventh career multi-goal game.

Marc Herschberger (Westminster, Colo./Northglenn H.S.) had four points as well with a goal and two assists and T.J. Thiebaut (Pueblo, Colo./South H.S.) had three points off a goal and an assist.

Shailer Thomas (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington H.S.) earned his second straight shutout with four saves.

The Roadrunners dominated possession the entire game, but went scoreless for the first 39 minutes of the game until Crawford forced a turnover in the box, turned to his left, and fired a shot into the net for the first goal of the game at 39:58.

Metro State had a scoring opportunity just 20 minutes into the contest when Grode was fouled in the box, but UCCS goalkeeper Brandon Costa made a spectacular diving save to stop Josh Buysse (Longmont, Colo./Longmont H.S.)'s penalty kick to keep the game scoreless.

Grode finally found the net 13 minutes into the second half off a corner kick.  Chris Yoder (Gilbert, Ariz./Mesquite H.S.)'s corner from the left side deflected back behind the box, where Kevin Pocalyko (Longmont, Colo./Longmont H.S.) sent a pass into the box that was headed by Jeremy Brooks (Phoenix/Horizon H.S.) to Grode, who one-touched the ball into the net from the center of the box.

Grode scored just two minutes later again, finishing a cross by Herschberger after Yoder forced a turnover.

Crawford scored his second goal at 70:54, taking a through-ball from Herschberger.

Herschberger scored a goal of his own at 80:33, scoring on a breakaway after taking a pass from Thiebaut.  Herschberger worked his way to the left side of the goal and fired a low shot inside the far post.

Michael Schellenbaum (Mesa, Ariz./Dobson H.S.) then set up Thiebaut for a breakaway four minutes later for the final goal of the game.

With the two goal, Grode moved into fifth place all-time in goals at Metro State with 33.  He also ranks fifth in points (81).

Metro State will travel to No. 23 Colorado Mines on Friday for a 7 p.m. game.