GUNNISON, Colo. - For the second straight game,
Nicole LaTourette's marker was all #7 Colorado School of Mines needed as they beat Western State 1-0 in their RMAC opener on Friday.
The Orediggers (4-0-1, 1-0 RMAC) recorded their fifth consecutive shutout to start the year as
Shannon Mooney made four saves and Mines outshot the Mountaineers (0-5, 0-1 RMAC) by a lopsided 17-5 margin.
Western State pressed early in the game, getting three shots on goal in the opening 24 minutes before Mines' bench took control of the possession. The Orediggers had several good early looks, including
Jennifer Kendall's ball across an open goal in the seventh minute and another that was cleared off the line by a defender in the 19th minute.
The breakthrough came late in the first half as a creation by
Giselle Sawaged and
Chaney Brugman led to
Nicole LaTourette's goal. LaTourette rifled a finish from the top of the box to the left side of goal to make it 1-0 at 41:29, her second goal in as many games for the Orediggers.
Mines continued to press with some good scoring chances on nine second-half shots, including a dipping long-range effort by LaTourette that just missed over the bar. Meanwhile, the defense held the Mountaineers to only two long-range tries in the second half.
NOTABLES
- Mines' shutout streak extended to 470 minutes to start the season as the Orediggers have recorded five straight shutouts. Mines has not given up a goal in its last seven regular-season games.
- LaTourette's goal was the 11th of her career. She has points in each of her last three games, with an assist against St. Edward's and a goal versus Angelo State.
- Kendall and LaTourette each had four shots to lead Mines.
- Mines has won their last nine RMAC openers dating back to 2010.
- The Orediggers improved to 7-1-0 all-time against Western State, winning their fourth in a row in the series.
- WSCU goalkeeper Emilie Eckhart had seven saves to keep her side in the game.
NEXT UP
Mines heads to Grand Junction to visit Colorado Mesa on Sunday at 1 p.m.
