#3 Mines vs. UCCS, Wednesday, 7 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
#3 Mines vs. Colorado Christian, Sunday, 12 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
 

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THE WEEK AHEAD
Unbeaten in six games to start the season, #3 Colorado School of Mines hosts two games this week, taking on UCCS in a non-RMAC game on Wednesday before returning to league play against Colorado Christian on Sunday as part of a women's/men's doubleheader.

MINES RISES TO #3
Mines continued its climb up the national polls to be #3 in this week's NSCAA Top 25, up two spots from last week. The ranking is Mines' highest since 2013, when they hit #2 late in the season.  The Orediggers are coming off a 2-0 start to RMAC play, which including a 1-0 double-overtime win against Regis with Emily Townsend's golden goal earning the victory.

GARNIER, ZUMBRO TAKE RMAC AWARDS
Emily Garnier and Sam Zumbro were named the RMAC Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Week, respectively, on Tuesday after working 190:57 shutout minutes over the weekend. Garnier is the third straight Oredigger to win the defensive award (joining Townsend and Kortney DesCamp); she had three assists in two games. Zumbro lowered her GAA to 0.17 with the two shutouts to earn her first career RMAC weekly honor.

GOOD START
Mines is 6-0-0 to start the year, their best beginning since going 7-0-0 in 2011.

PROTECT THE NET
Mines' success has been in no small part thanks to its outstanding defense, which ranks fourth in NCAA Division II in goals-against average (0.17) and third in shutout percentage (.833). Sam Zumbro is fifth in D-II in GAA (0.17) and tenth in save percentage (.933). The backline has held opponents to only 7.7 shots per game.

SET PIECE SUCCESS
Mines has scored four of their 12 goals this season from set pieces, including all three over the weekend in a 2-0 win against MSU Denver and 1-0 victory against Regis. Emily Garnier has keyed all four of those goals, converting a penalty kick against West Texas A&M, creating both MSU Denver goals on long free kicks, and providing the corner kick assist in overtime against Regis.

LAST YEAR
Mines beat UCCS 5-2 in a wild game last Oct. 25 with Haley Cole scoring twice, Laya Rybicki and Brooke Stoermer finding net, and Emily Garnier converting a PK. Michaela Mansfield and Mandy Timmermeyer scored for the Mountain Lions, while Sam Zumbro saved a Mansfield PK in the second half among five stops. Mines beat Colorado Christian twice in the regular season by 1-0 scores; Acacia Ortiz scored on the road and Emily Garnier's penalty kick was the difference at Stermole Stadium.

THE SERIES
Mines and UCCS are meeting for the 13th time, with Mines holding an 11-1-0 series lead; UCCS' only win in the series came in 2010. Mines and CCU will match up for the 20th time with Mines holding an 18-0-1 all-time advantage.

SCOUTING UCCS
UCCS is 1-3 to start the season but is 1-0 in RMAC play after beating Black Hills 4-3 last weekend. Michaela Mansfield and Bailee Jameson have two goals each to lead the offense, and Grace Ramsden and Dorothy Bertoncin have split starts with a 3.50 combined GAA.

SCOUTING CCU
Colorado Christian has been the surprise team in the RMAC so far this season, starting 5-2 and 2-0 in league play after going 0-15-3 a year ago. They beat both MSU Denver and Regis last weekend. Kielli Jordan and Alyssa Regalado each have three goals to lead the Cougars, with goalkeepers Shaya Lawrence and Mallory VanVoorhis splitting starts to combine for a 1.28 GAA.