2020-21 RMAC Women's Soccer Tournament
QF - #20 Colorado School of Mines vs. Colorado Mesa, Tuesday, 4 p.m. [RMAC Network] [Live Stats] [Bracket]
 

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OREDIGGERS OPEN POSTSEASON VERSUS COLORADO MESA
#20 Colorado School of Mines begins its quest for a third straight RMAC Tournament cup as they host Colorado Mesa on Tuesday in the bracket's quarterfinals. The Orediggers (6-0-2, 4-0-1 RMAC) won the RMAC's Mountain Division, and host the Rocky Division's #4 seed in the Mavericks (5-3-1, 3-2-0 RMAC); the two did not meet during the regular season.

FAN POLICY
No fans will be admitted for Tuesday's contest. The match will stream live at minesathletics.com/tv.

THE RMAC TOURNAMENT
This year's RMAC Tournament is a bit different than a usual season as the conference was split into two divisions for scheduling purposes, and the tournament is cross-bracketed between the top four seeds in each division. Based on average points per match, the #1 seed in one division plays the #4 seed in the other, #2 vs. #3, etc. Rocky Division champion UCCS earned the top overall seed, followed by Mountain Division champ Mines; the semifinals and final will take place Friday, April 23 and Sunday, April 25 at the highest remaining overall seed. The Mines-Mesa winner will play the winner of Regis and CSU Pueblo. The other side of the bracket has UCCS playing Adams State and Fort Lewis hosting Westminster.

MINES IN THE RMAC TOURNAMENT
The two-time defending champion, Mines is making its 14th consecutive appearance in the RMAC Tournament. Mines has dominated the RMAC Tournament in the last decade, winning titles in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2019. The Orediggers are 21-5-2 all-time in the tournament, including a perfect 18-0-1 at home and 7-0 in the quarterfinals. Mines and Colorado Mesa have met only twice in the tournament and not since the 2011 final, which Mines won 2-0 at Regis; the Orediggers also beat then-Mesa State 2-1 in overtime in the 2008 quarters.

IN THE POLLS
In February, Mines was announced as the top pick in the RMAC preseason coaches' poll. The Orediggers received 137 points and eight of the 12 first-place votes to lead UCCS, Westminster, Fort Lewis, and MSU Denver in the top five. The United Soccer Coaches' national poll has Mines at #20 in their latest national poll.

LAST TIME OUT
Mines has not played since April 3 when it wrapped up the regular season with a comprehensive 5-0 win at Western Colorado. Mines scored four times in the opening 18 minutes as Cloey Seltzer tallied just 2:46 into the match, AK Ford followed in the ninth minute, and Eliot Edwards had two in a two-minute span, converting first from the penalty spot before making it 4-0 in the 18th minute. Chaney Brugman added the fifth goal 1:52 into the second half.

EVERYBODY SCORES
In only eight matches, Mines has had eight different goalscorers led by the veteran tandem of Eliot Edwards and Chaney Brugman. Edwards has scored five times with three assists – both team bests – while Brugman has added four more goals with two assists. AK Ford has had a breakout spring with four goals, and Emma Peterson and Cloey Seltzer each have a pair.  Mines is outshooting opponents by average of +9.2 shots per game and holds a +17 goal differential.

DOUBLE DUTY
Last week, Mines forward Amena Nelson was featured on 9News as she's in the midst of a very unusual spring season, competing simultaneously for the soccer and track & field programs. Nelson has had a successful season on the track running the 200m, 400m, and 4x400 relay, while scoring once with an assist in eight appearances and two starts on the pitch. It is believed that Nelson is the first Mines student-athlete to appear for two teams in the same season since the fall of 1973 when Mike Flater played soccer and football.

SCOUTING COLORADO MESA
CMU enters the postseason 5-3-1 overall and went 3-2-0 in RMAC play, scoring 1.78 goals per game and allowing 1.0. The Mavs outshoot opponents by a +7.0 shots per game margin. Lila Dere is an RMAC Freshman of the Year favorite leading the conference in both goals (7) and shots (44). Chloe Dody (0.64, .800) and Emily Signorio (1.30, .727) have split starts in goal.

MINES VS. MESA
The Orediggers hold a 16-3-1 all-time advantage over the Mavericks, including 11 consecutive wins and a 16-match unbeaten streak. They last met in the 2019 regular season when Mines overcame a 1-0 deficit on quick-strike goals by Jordan Barnhart and Giselle Sawaged to win 2-1 at home.

LOOKING AHEAD
With no NCAA Tournament this season, the RMAC Tournament is the ultimate prize for the Orediggers; should they advance from Tuesday's match, they will face the winner of the Regis/CSU Pueblo quarterfinal on Friday at the highest remaining overall seed. Should UCCS advance from their quarterfinal, they will host the weekend; should Mines advance and UCCS does not, the tournament will continue at Stermole Stadium.