GOLDEN, Colo. - Jaclyn Knott's hat trick propelled #6 Colorado School of Mines past Western State 5-1 in the RMAC Tournament quarterfinals.

The Orediggers (17-2) made no mistake against the Mountaineers (6-9-3), who had beaten Mines on the road during the regular season. The offensive fireworks included four goals in the opening 20 minutes as Knott completed her hat trick in that span.

Mines advances and will host the semifinals on Friday, playing the winner of Wednesday night's MSU Denver/Colorado Mesa game at 4 p.m. The other semifinal will pit the winners of Regis/Colorado Christian and Fort Lewis/CSU-Pueblo at 6:30 p.m. Sunday's final will be at noon.

Taylor McRae fed Knott's first goal at 4:27 with a superb through ball that Knott hit in off the far post, and Knott made it 2-0 moments later when Brooke Stoermer fed her another breakaway chance.

Stoermer got a goal of her own when Emily Garnier's rebounded corner kick fell to her feet for the finish. Knott then capped her hat trick with a dispossession in the box and a turning finish at 20:03.

Western's lone goal came after a foul in the box earned Courtnee Urrea a penalty kick at 80:44. Mines canceled that out with Caitlin Kaltenbaugh's header off Anna Deleray's far-post corner service at 87:35.

NOTABLES
- Mines is aiming to win its sixth consecutive RMAC Tournament cup. The Orediggers have hosted the finals each of the past four years.
- Western State was making its first RMAC Tournament appearance in program history.
- Mines' five goals were its most ever in the postseason.
- Knott's hat trick was Mines' first since Anna Evans scored three against CSU-Pueblo on Oct. 25, 2013. It was the first postseason hat trick in program history.
- Knott now has the team lead with nine goals this season. Stoermer's tally was her fifth of the year (and she also handed out her fifth assists) while Kaltenbaugh scored her first.
- Mines dominated the game offensive with with a 17-3 shots advantage, allowing Western only one shot on goal (the penalty kick). 
- Sam Zumbro did not have to make a save in the win. Katie Simpson-Johnson had seven saves.
- Stoermer was the most active Orediggers with four shots, while Knott scored on all three of her tries.