WEARY RAPIDS GIVE UP THREE GOALS IN FINAL FIFTEEN MINUTES FOR SECOND LOSS OF PRE-SEASON

GUADALAJARA (Wednesday, February 25, 1998) - Playing their fifth game in nine days, and playing just twelve hours after a surprising 1-1 draw with undefeated Tecos of the Mexican league, the Colorado Rapids gave up three goals in the final fifteen minutes Wednesday morning and lost 3-2 to the Atlas Reserve team in Guadalajara.

For the first 75 minutes, the Rapids continued the strong play they had exhibited as they collected a 6-1-1 pre-season record, building a 2-0 lead on a pair of goals by first-round draft choice Tyrone Marshall.

But the battle of attrition that the last month away from home had become finally won out, as Atlas pulled three goals back in the final quarter hour to steal the game. All three goals were scored upon Littleton native Anthony Latronica, an All-American goalkeeper from the University of Rhode Island who was trying out with the team. Colorado (now 6-2-1 in pre-season) travels to Denver tomorrow after spending the last ten days in Mexico and the previous two weeks in Florida. After the game, Rapids coach Glenn "Mooch" Myernick said the team was ready to head home.

"It's been a long month, and I'm very proud of the effort I received from the boys. Today, we hung in there for a while, but the tanks were just on empty down the stretch and we gave up some soft goals," said Myernick.

RAPIDS LINE-UP: Paul Grafer (Anthony Latronica 70), Andre Nunely, Steve Trittschuh (Peter Vermes 46), Chris Martinez, Tayt Ianni, Sean Henderson, Ross Paule, Julio Cengarle, Adrian Paz (Tyrone Marshall 46), Steve Rammel, Jason Boyce.