By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner / Strategic Communications

PUEBLO, Colo. – The 2024 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship final was a quiet affair for 69 minutes, but Colorado State University Pueblo's Jose Bustamante scored in the 70th and 78th minutes and the ThunderWolves claimed their second-straight tournament title with a 2-1 victory agianst Fort Lewis on Saturday night at Art & Lorraine Gonzales Stadium.

CSU Pueblo earns the RMAC automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championships. The 40-team field will be announced at 4:30 p.m. (MT) on NCAA.com.

Fort Lewis (12-3-6) had the best chance in the first half when a foul was called inside the box on a breakaway attempt. CSU Pueblo goalkeeper Ryan Nun, filling in for Ruben Volkert, got just enough of the ensuing penalty kick to deflect it off the post and deny the goal.

CSU Pueblo (14-3-3) controlled the bulk of play in the second half, ultimately putting six shots on goal. Bustamante broke up the scoreless affair in the 70th minute with a searing shot into the upper left corner. Seven minutes later, Bustamante won a scramble for a rebound at the goal line and scored his second goal for a 2-0 CSU Pueblo lead in the 78th minute.

Fort Lewis battled to the end and broke through off a free kick. Skyhawks goalkeeper Lucas Martin took the free kick which deflected off a CSU Pueblo defender and Anton Hjalmarsson hammered it out of midair into the net for a goal in the 88th minute. But the Skyhawks could not regain control for one last opportunity before the horn sounded.

Nun made three saves and allowed only the one goal in his first start since Oct. 17. Bustamante scored his two goals off four shots on goal.

Fort Lewis goalkeeper Lucas Martin had six saves on eight shots on goal and had an assist.

A replay of the RMAC Championship is available on the RMAC Network via pay-per-view. Purchase options for the fall championships were announced earlier Wednesday and are available at RMACSports.org/buyRMACtv.

RMAC Men's Soccer Championship: All-Tournament Team

MVP - Jose Bustamante, CSUP
Caio Oliveira, CSUP
Ryan Dunn, CSUP
Alon Firdman, CSUP
Shjon Andrews, CSUP
Anton Hjalmarsson, FLC
Quinn Bosanko, FLC
Gabriel Legendre, FLC
Jakob Larson, FLC
Lucas Martin, FLC
Elisa Taubo, RU
Miles Seminario, UCCS