GOLDEN, Colo. – The #18-ranked Colorado School of Mines Men's Soccer team clinched its third straight RMAC title on Sunday afternoon thanks to a 0-0 draw against Regis at Stermole Stadium in the Orediggers' regular-season finale.
 
With no scoring to be had, redshirt senior goalkeeper Drew Johnson stole the show. Johnson played all 110 minutes and faced 19 shots while racking up five saves to preserve the shutout. The performance put Johnson over 50 saves on the season. Meanwhile, on offense, Jason Zobott and Ford Edwards led the team thanks to three shots apiece. Edwards put two of his attempts on frame. He was the only player in the match to have multiple shots on goal. Additionally, the Orediggers celebrated Senior Day before the match where they honored Edwards, Johnson, Zobott, Ben Overholt and Ryan Mackey.
 
As a team, Mines (12-3-3, 10-1-3 RMAC) was outshot by Regis (10-5-2, 9-3-1 RMAC) as the Rangers produced 19 shots compared to the Orediggers' 12 attempts. However, the single point from the draw was all Mines need to clinch its third straight regular-season title and its fourth in the last half decade. Regis saw its three-game winning streak come to an end, but still wrapped up the #2 seed for the RMAC Tournament. Dixie State and Westminster have also locked in their spots as the #3 and #4 seeds, but the fifth and sixth positions are still open with MSU Denver and Regis yet to play on Tuesday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The sun shone over Stermole Stadium for most of the morning and nearly off the women's game preceding Mines' men. However, clouds rolled in and provided an overcast backdrop for the Senior Day festivities prior to the start of the Orediggers' final home match of the regular season. At the sound of the first whistle, it was clear both teams were ready for a battle. While no scoring may infer a lack of excitement, nothing could be further from the truth. In the first half alone, Johnson made two acrobatic saves in both the 28th minute and 37th minute. At the same time, Regis's defense held Mines without a single shot attempt through the first 45 minutes.
 
In the second half, the intensity and physicality increased with three yellow cards and 18 fouls being dished out between both teams. Johnson provided a second highlight reel again with action coming to a climax in the 74th minute when the Rangers produced a flurry of shots in just a matter of seconds. Johnson saved two of them and another went wide of the net and the whistle was blown for offsides on the visitors. That would send the match into the downhill slide towards overtime.
 
Mines' defense locked down the first 10 minutes of overtime. The Orediggers held Regis to zero shots from the 91st minute through the 100th minute while producing three of their own. In the second overtime period, Mines' defense was stellar once again as it limited the Rangers to two shots. One of those attempts was on goal, but a save by one of Johnson's teammates kept the goal off the board. Two more yellow cards in overtime underlined the intensity of the match as the contest would close with zeros on the board. The final combined foul count was 42, accentuated by five total yellow cards.
 
NOTABLES
- Mines is now 27-21-5 in the all-time series against Regis.
- The Orediggers have not surrendered a goal to the Rangers since Oct. 2, 2015 – over four years ago.
- Mines has not lost to Regis in eight straight matches. Its last loss to RU came on Sept. 24, 2014 in a 2-1 defeat at Regis.
- Furthermore, the Orediggers have not lost to Regis in Golden since Oct. 5, 2012 – more than seven years ago.
- Johnson's shutout on Sunday gives him 10 on the season and 20 in his career which ties him for the program's single-season shutouts record and also ties him for #2 on the all-time shutouts list.
- Head Coach Greg Mulholland becomes the first Oredigger men's soccer coach to ever win three straight regular-season conference titles. He is a perfect three-for-three in his first three seasons at the helm.
- Both Overholt and Johnson have been a part of four RMAC regular-season championships over the last five years.
- The Orediggers' senior class has now helped account for 51 shutouts and 76 wins in its tenure in Golden.
- Mulholland boasts an overall record of 47-9-4 in three seasons as Mines' head coach.
 
UP NEXT
As the #1 seed in the 2019 RMAC Men's Soccer Tournament, Mines will host the semifinal match on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at Stermole Stadium. The Orediggers will face the winner of the matchup between the #4 and #5 seeds. Live stats and video of the match will be available at www.minesathletics.com.