2021 NCAA Division II Championship (hosted by UCCS)
FIRST ROUND - Mines vs. Midwestern State, Friday, 1 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
SECOND ROUND - Mines/Midwestern State at UCCS, Sunday, 1 p.m. [Live Video] [Live Stats]
[Tournament Central] [Bracket]

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LET'S DANCE
For the 13th consecutive time, Colorado School of Mines is headed to the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, and they won't have to go far as they will take on Midwestern State at UCCS in Friday's first round at 1 p.m. The Orediggers (12-4-4) hope to advance to Sunday's second round to face UCCS, which received a first-round bye.

LIVE COVERAGE
Friday's match will stream live on the RMAC Network. Sunday's match will be on UCCS' YouTube channel. 

FAN INFORMATION
Fans are reminded that there is no passlist for postseason play and tickets are needed for all spectators. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and $3 for seniors with cash-only sales at the gate. Weather should be spectacular both days with highs in the mid-60s and sunny skies on Friday and temperatures around 50 and sunny on Sunday. 

THE BRACKET
The six-team South Central region bracket features two opening-weekend pods, as Mines plays Midwestern State at host UCCS, and Angelo State plays Westminster at host and top-seeded DBU. The winners will head to a site to be announced along with the two remaining West region teams (from a group that includes Seattle Pacific, Sonona State, Hawaii Hilo, Western Washington, Point Loma, and Cal State East Bay) on the first weekend in December. The national semifinals and finals aren't far, though - they'll be held at the new home of Switchbacks FC, Weidner Field, in Colorado Springs on Dec. 9 and 11.

MINES IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Orediggers hope to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament after consecutive second-round exits, both times in PKs at the hands of DBU in 2018 and 2019. Mines has appeared in the NCAA Tournament every year since 2008 (there was no 2020 tournament), and has advanced out of the opening weekend six times, including national quarterfinal appearances in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2016, and a Final Four berth in 2014.

IN THE POLLS
Mines is #20 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches' Top 25 while UCCS is #9 and Midwestern State was receiving votes. 

IN THE REGULAR SEASON
Mines is very familiar with both teams on its side of the South Central bracket, and owns wins over both this season. The Orediggers traveled to Midwestern State on Sept. 10 and won 2-0 thanks to second-half goals by AK Ford and Lauren Clingman; Sierra Roth had a four-save shutout as the Mustangs outshot Mines 14-11. Mines split with UCCS, winning 2-1 at home on Oct. 17 thanks to late goals from Emi Higgins and Landry Corbett, but falling 1-0 in a hard-fought RMAC Tournament semifinal on Nov. 10 in Colorado Springs.

ROTH, MCDERMOTT HIGHLIGHT ALL-RMAC TEAMS
Goalkeeper of the Year Sierra Roth and Freshman of the Year Reese McDermott highlighted the 2021 All-RMAC Women's Soccer teams announced Tuesday. Both Roth and McDermott earned First-Team All-RMAC spots at goalkeeper and forward, respectively, while midfielder Emma Peterson and defender Ava Harman were Second-Team All-RMAC, and midfielder Zoe Sano was Honorable Mention All-RMAC. Roth is Mines' fifth-ever goalkeeper of the year and first since Shannon Mooney in 2019, leading the RMAC in every statistical category including goals-against average (0.56), save perentage (.882), and shutouts (8). McDermott joins Laya Rybicki (2014) and Anna Evans (2010) as only the third freshman of the year for the Orediggers after scoring a team-best eight goals with two assists this season. 

OREDIGGERS TOP ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMS
The RMAC announced its annual All-Academic teams last week and the Orediggers topped the list with 21 total honorees including first-team selections Katie Koehler, Emma Peterson, and Sierra Roth. In addition, Dani VonLembke, Brooke Pennington, Ava Harman, Michelle Easley, Cloey Seltzer, Emma Carstens, AK Ford, Hannah Rowan, Kate Clady, Zoe Sano, Brooke Patterson, Colleen Tyrrell, Landry Corbett, Gracey Henoch, Alegra Aguayo, Lauren Sherburne, Meg Zimmerman, and Karolina Sidebaeck were named to the Academic Honor Roll.

SCOUTING MIDWESTERN STATE
The Mustangs were an at-large selection at 12-4-3 overall, and three of their four losses this season - to Mines, Central Oklahoma, and DBU - came to NCAA qualifiers.They are battle tested winning three consecutive overtime games to end the regular season before falling in the Lone Star Conference quarterfinals 3-2 to Texas A&M-Commerce. The Mustangs scored 1.79 goals per game and allow 1.05; Kelly Cannistra is their leading scorer with eight goals and Cassidy Savoy is the playmaker with six goals and four assists. Goalkeepers Taylor Camp (6-4-3, 1.03 GAA) and Lauren Freeman (6-0-0, 0.90 GAA) have split starts in net. Mines is 3-1 all-time against the Mustangs, including a 1-0 overtime win in the 2017 NCAA First Round thanks to Peyton Sanders' golden goal. 

SCOUTING UCCS
There's no lack of familiarity between Mines and the Mountain Lions as they could potentially meet for a third time this season. UCCS won the RMAC Tournament 3-1 over Regis and is 18-3-0 overall. One of the nation's best offenses, UCCS scores 2.86 goals per game and allows 1.00; Tarah Patterson (8G, 12A), Jadyn LeDoux (8G, 5A), and Makayla Merlo (8G, 2A) lead the offense. UCCS has used three goalkeepers this season with Alexis Walker getting starts since late October sporting a 1.03 GAA and .714 save percentage. Mines is 16-6-1 all-time against UCCS; they last met in the 2017 NCAA Tournament at UC San Diego when UCCS won 3-2 in the Third Round.