DENVER, Colo. - First-half goals by Kaylee Kennedy and Hannah Stoner proved to be the difference as #4 Colorado School of Mines shook off a tough MSU Denver team in a 2-1 win on Monday.

The victory ensures the Orediggers (13-1-1, 10-0-0 RMAC) will be at least three points clear at the top of the RMAC table at night's end pending the UCCS-Colorado Christian result later on Monday. Mines is in first on 30 points, with UCCS going to 27 with a win, 25 with a draw, or 24 with a loss; Westminster and MSU Denver (9-4-1, 7-3-0 RMAC) are tied for third at 21 points, with Westminster having a game in hand. 

It was a dream start for Mines as their first shot of the game resulted in a goal. Kennedy ran to the left side of the box off a cross from Jennifer Kendall and slotted it near-post under goalkeeper Erica Torres for her first career goal and a 1-0 lead only 1:23 into the game. 

The momentum would be short-lived, however, as the Roadrunners scored only 1:11 later. After earning a pair of corners, the second paid off as Jaimy Sawaged found RMAC scoring leader Reigna Banks inside the six for the equalizer.

Both teams settled in after that but Mines had the better chances, and they nearly went ahead when Audrey Shin rifled a shot off the cross bar and onto the line in the 34th minute; shouts for a goal were denied but Stoner left zero doubt with a fantastic goal from the top of the box at 34:50 for the 2-1 lead.

Neither team scored in the second half although Mines again had the better chances, including another hit crossbar by Acacia Ortiz. The game ended 18-18 on shots but the Orediggers led 8-4 in shots on goal.

NOTABLES
- Kennedy's goal was the first of her career, and she is the 10th different Oredigger to score this season. At 1:23 into the game, it was Mines' fastest goal of the season.
- Stoner scored her third goal of the season, a career high for the senior.
- Kendall's assist extended her team points lead to 16; she leads Mines in both goals (6) and assists (4, co-led with Dominique Rivera) this season after scoring the golden goal winner at UCCS on Friday.
- Mines won its fifth straight game over MSU Denver and improved to 12-7-7 all-time in the series. 
- Shannon Mooney made three saves in the win, while Torres had six.
- Mines' 10-0 RMAC record has only one parallel, when the 2013 team ran the table to go 14-0. It is the eighth time in program history that Mines has reached double-digit conference wins in a season.
- The game was delayed a day by snow and extremely cold temperatures in Denver on Sunday, but was played under spectacular sunny conditions on Monday.
- The game featured several family connections between Mines and MSU Denver. Sisters Jaimy and Giselle Sawaged played against each other for the first time in college, while Mines goalkeeper Shannon Mooney had sister Jessica and cousin Brooklynn on the other side of the field. Mines' biggest save of the game came as Shannon stopped Brooklynn on a header in the 76th minute.

NEXT UP
Mines will play its final home games of the regular season next weekend, starting with Black Hills State Friday at 6:30 p.m. Note the game has been moved up an hour from its previously-scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time.