GREAT FALLS, Mont. – After a scoreless first two games of the 2016 season, Argo soccer needed to find some life on offense. In the team's home opener against Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), UGF found a wealth of offensive opportunities, scoring five goals with five different players to defeat the Eagles 5-0.
 
The game gives UGF its first win of the season and was also the team's last non-conference game before the start of the Cascade Collegiate Conference season.
 
"We challenged the guys to have a professional mindset preparing for this week and they did just that," UGF Head Coach Joseph Yeisley said. "I thought this was an important game for our guys moving into conference play."
 
From the opening whistle, the Argo offense had an energy and urgency that it lacked during the team's season opening trip to California. In the first eight minutes, UGF created 3 shots, 1 shot on goal, and 2 corner kicks. None of those resulted in the team's first goal of the season, but it set the tone for the rest of the match.
 
After 25 minutes of attacking the Embry-Riddle net without scoring, UGF earned a free kick about 25 yards out above the right corner of the penalty box. Senior captain Edgar Ortiz and midfielder Camilo Martinez both lined up to take the set piece with Martinez running over the ball and to the near side of the wall.
 
Just as Martinez passed the wall of ERAU defenders, Ortiz took the kick, passing it to Martinez who carried the ball toward the near post before sending a hard, low pass across the 6-yard box. Finding the other end of the pass was senior forward Mohamad Oulare who beat his defender to the ball and deflected the pass into the net for UGF's first goal of the season.
 
That score opened up the flood gates as two of Oulare's teammates got in on the action before the end of the half. Ortiz and Martinez again connected for the game's second goal, with Martinez receiving a ball from Ortiz and finishing inside the penalty box in the 33rd minute. Nine minutes later, redshirt freshman Cole Myers scored for the first time in his collegiate career, receiving a long ball from Christopher Chavez, sidestepping the goalie with a full head of steam and finishing on an open net.
 
"It was nice to see our offense get going today. We spent a lot of time working our attack this week and the guys really executed it well," Yeisley said. "I thought the guys were very detail oriented this week and it paid off in the match."
 
Played evened out in the first 10 minute of the second half as the Eagles managed to spend some time possessing in UGF's half of the field but they still failed to put any real challenge to Argos goalkeeper Marc Girones.
 
Things soon turned back in UGF's favor, however, as sophomore transfer Adrian Gomez possessed the ball just inside Embry-Riddle's half of the field and flicked a lofting ball behind the defense to freshman George Holloway. The British forward ran onto the ball showcased the finishing abilities that brought him to Great Falls, making the score 4-0. The Argo's other captain, senior midfielder Lewis Derrett finalized the scoring for UGF with his sixth career goal in the 72nd minute.
 
While the scoring output was certainly headline worthy, the Argo's defensive backline played an equally, if not more impressive match. Still without 2015 starter Rasmus Madsen, the Argo defenders held the Eagles to 9 shots, 1 corner kick, and 0 shots on goal. Starting outside backs Ortiz, and Anthony Mota, as well as substitute Pedro Sala, not only shut down the wings defensively but made significant contributions moving forward.
 
The win puts UGF at 1-2 in non-conference play as the team enters the CCC season next weekend. The Argos will need the momentum from their most recent win as they next travel to #20 Corban University, UGF's 2015 CCC Semifinal opponent, on September 16 at 2 p.m. MT.