LUBBOCK, Texas – The MSU Denver men's soccer team continues to make things exciting.
 
Aidan Bates scored two goals in the final 15 minutes, including the game-winner with 1:22 left in regulation, as the Roadrunners surrendered an early lead but then roared back for a second straight 3-2 victory, this time in a neutral site game against Texas-Permian Basin.
 
"Any win away from home is tough to get," MSU Denver coach Nick Kirchhof said. "To get two this weekend in a very different environment is tremendous. We're still making some mistakes, but we can score goals. We've got some great attacking players, and if we can clean some things up on defense, we can be competitive against anybody we play."
 
MSU Denver's comeback began after a Texas-Permian Basin player was issued a red card after taking down Aaron Biggerstaff at 72:52.
 
"In the first half, we didn't get behind them enough and in the second half we made more of an effort to do that," Kirchhof said. "Aaron made a great run to get behind them and their center back had to take him down and got red-carded."
 
Bates scored his first goal of the game and second of the season 2:36 later.
 
"We got around them and the ball popped out to Bryson (Chiles) and he got it back into the box," Kirchhof said. "Aidan had a great finish on a tight angle."
 
On the game-winner, Gianni Steijlen added an assist to the goal he scored early in the game in setting up Bates.
 
"It was kind of a broken play," Kirchhof said. "We won it in the midfield and Gianni did a fantastic job to get around to the outside, doing one of the things we've been working on in training. He got it to Aidan, and Aidan put a great touch on it, stayed composed and slotted it into the far corner."
 
Steijlen scored the game's first goal at 15:32 on an assist from Sam Funnell, who now has three assists for the season to go with the two goals he scored in Friday's 3-2 win at Lubbock Christian (Texas).
 
"Sam was able to find Gianni at the top of the box and it was a great finish," Kirchhof said. "Those guys have been fantastic. Gianni has been working really hard and I'm pleased for him today that he was able to get a goal and an assist to show for it."

Ross Miller had 10 saves, including two critical stops in the final 10:02, with the first just after MSU Denver had tied the game and another at 87:49, just 49 seconds before the Roadrunners scored the game-winner.

"Ross was incredible and made some fantastic saves late in the game," Kirchhof said. "That's exactly what you want from your No. 1 goalkeeper."