2019 RMAC Women's Soccer Tournament FINAL
#16 Mines at #1 UCCS, Saturday, 1 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Stats]
 

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FOR THE CUP
The last two winners of the RMAC Tournament meet again as second-seeded and #16-ranked Colorado School of Mines travels to top-seeded and #1-ranked UCCS for the final on Saturday. The Orediggers, the 2018 champions, hope to win their seventh title in eight years while UCCS, the 2017 champs, aim for their second in three. The winner receives an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

TICKETS AND PARKING
Mines students will be admitted free if they show their Blaster Card at the gate at Mountain Lions Stadium. All other tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. Parking in Lots 576 and 574 next to Mountain Lion Stadium is free.

THE BRACKET
Mines advanced with a 3-0 quarterfinal win over Colorado Christian and a 2-0 victory against MSU Denver in last Sunday's semifinal. UCCS beat CSU-Pueblo 5-0 in the quarters, then outlasted Westminster 1-0 in the semis.

MINES IN THE RMAC TOURNAMENT
The defending champions, Mines is making its 13th consecutive appearance in the RMAC Tournament. Mines has dominated the RMAC Tournament this decade, winning titles in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. The Orediggers 19-5-2 all-time in the tournament.

LAST YEAR
This will be a rematch of the 2018 final as Mines won the RMAC Tournament cup with a 3-0 win over UCCS. Giselle Sawaged scored 1:19 into the game and tournament MVP Jennifer Kendall had the next two as UCCS was forced to play with 10 women for 70 minutes after goalkeeper Kaylyn Smith was sent off for fouling Kendall outside the box.

EARLIER THIS SEASON
Mines gave unbeaten UCCS its toughest test of the season as the Mountain Lions won their regular-season meeting 2-1 in double overtime back on Oct. 18. Mines outshot UCCS 15-9 and led on a Nicole LaTourette penalty kick in the 13th minute, but UCCS rallied back with Savannah Mills' goal in the 47th minute, and Shanade Hopcroft scored 31 seconds into the second overtime to win it.

SAWAGED, MOONEY LEAD ALL-RMAC TEAMS
Defensive Player of the Year Giselle Sawaged and Goalkeeper of the Year Shannon Mooney highlighted six Orediggers on the year-end All-RMAC teams, announced last week. Sawaged and Mooney were joined by Nicole LaTourette and Emi Higgins as First-Team All-RMAC selections, while defenders Jordan Barnhart and Mickey Hostetler were named Honorable Mention All-RMAC.

IN THE POLLS
Mines remained at #16 in this week's United Soccer Coaches' national poll. The Orediggers have been nationally ranked in 73 of the last 81 polls. Mines remains #3 in the NCAA regional rankings and are a safe bet to make the NCAA field win or lose on Saturday; UCCS tops both the USC and NCAA rankings. The NCAA selection show streams live on NCAA.com Monday at 4 p.m. Mountain.

SCOUTING UCCS [SERIES: Mines, 14-5-1]
The #1 team in the country, UCCS is a perfect 19-0 this season after running the table in the RMAC to win the regular-season title. RMAC Player of the Year Shanade Hopcroft leads the team with 13 goals and 11 assists while Tanner Sanders, the league's freshman of the year, has scored 11 with five assists. Defensively UCCS has a 0.42 GAA while scoring 3.47 per game, the best in the RMAC.

BITS AND PIECES
Mines is in the RMAC Tournament for the 13th consecutive season … Head coach Kevin Fickes is now 170-30-23 overall and 106-15-10 in RMAC play in his 10th season … Fickes entered the season third on the NCAA Division II active coaching list for winning percentage (.811) … Mines has outscored opponents 54-8 overall and 42-5 in conference play this season … The Orediggers are riding five straight shutouts into the RMAC Tournament final … Mines is just ahead of UCCS for the RMAC's best GAA at 0.40 … Giselle Sawaged is Mines' sixth straight RMAC Defensive Player of the Year after Nicho Cusack (2014), Emily Garnier (2015-17), and Emily Townsend (2018) … Mooney is the third different Oredigger to be Goalkeeper of the Year joining Jayln Yates (2013 and 2014) and Sam Zumbro (2016) … Nicole LaTourette leads Mines with 20 points off eight goals and four assists … She and Emi Higgins co-lead the team in goals … LaTourette has taken a team-high 63 shots … LaTourette is tied with Jordan Barnhart and Kaylee Kennedy for the team assists lead at 4 … Sawaged's goal against CCU became the new fastest goal in program history at 49 seconds, just one second quicker than Mickey Hostetler's strike against CSU-Pueblo earlier this year … LaTourette continues to move up the Mines record book as she is now fourth all-time goals (25) surpassing former teammate Jennifer Kendall, fifth in game-winning goals (9), and now fourth in points (60) surpassing Emily Garnier … Shannon Mooney is now third all-time in saves (159), second in shutouts (35), and second in career GAA (0.44).