COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The #10 Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team was back on the road Sunday, making the trip south for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference match with UCCS. Despite surrendering a pair of early goals in the opening moments of the action, the Orediggers (9-1-3, 6-0-2) were able to rebound as the match went on, battling back against the Mountain Lions (7-2-4, 4-1-2) to earn a 2-2 draw.
 
UCCS came out firing right away to open the action, as Abby Barhydt handed out two assists to Kaitlin Hinkle in the first 10 minutes of the afternoon as the Mountain Lions took an early 2-0 lead.
 
In unfamiliar territory, Mines looked to battle back and after things settled down after the opening 10 minutes, they were able to get on the board in the 22nd minute. Following a throw in from the near side into the Orediggers' offensive zone, the Mountain Lions were whistled for a foul in the penalty area and a penalty shot was awarded. Jordan Barnhart stepped up and beat the diving attempt by Alexis Walker to tuck the ball just inside the right post to make it a 2-1 affair.
 
As the half marched on, the pace of the match settled as chances on offense were few and far between. Barnhart looked to tie things at 2-2 in the 28th minute, but her attempt missed wide right of goal. Reese McDermott had a look at goal in the 34th minute, but she too missed off target as it remained a 2-1 contest.
 
A 41st minute shot by the Mountain Lions' Gabriella Lancaster looked to again make it a two-goal advantage for the home team, but Sadie Wolf was there to make the easy save as the first half action wrapped up.
 
The Orediggers opened up the second half with a flurry of shots on offense, as Paola Rubi, Callie Fuhr and Reese McDermott all took aim at goal but all three volleys either missed, were blocked or saved. A UCCS shot in the 52nd minute missed wide right before Michelle Easley took aim at tying things up in the 55th minute, but Walker made the save to keep UCCS ahead for the moment.
 
Shortly after, Mines netted the equalizer, as for the second time in the game it was Barnhart finding the back of the net. A corner kick from the near side by Landry Corbett held up in the air just long enough for Barnhart to get a head on the ball and send it just over the arms of Walker to even the score at 2-2.
 
Now a brand-new ballgame and all the momentum on Mines' side, it was UCCS who was now on their heels. Ellise Putnam looked to put the Orediggers ahead for the first time in the match in the 65th minute, but her shot was saved by Walker. The Mountain Lions worked the next few minutes of play to regroup as the next four shots that came over the following 10 minutes were all by the home team, with two missing wide and two being saved by Wolf to keep the score level. McDermott looked to change that in the 81st minute, as she was able to take a ball played ahead deep into the offensive zone, but back-to-back shot attempts in rapid succession were both blocked by the defense as time continued to tick down.
 
Two more shots from the Mountain Lions in the final six minutes both missed their mark as they looked to net the go-ahead goal, while Mines' last-minute shot attempt from deep by Laura Butler was blocked by the defense as the afternoon ended with a 2-2 draw.
 
NOTABLES
-Barnhart has now recorded a point in each of the last four matches (2 A, 2 G)
-Sunday was also the first multi-goal game of Barnhart's career, and sets a new season-high mark of four goals, surpassing the three she scored in 2019
-Corbett has assists in each of the last two matches and now has three on the season, one shy of the team lead
-Wolf finished with three saves, tying a season-high mark
-The Orediggers finished with a 16-12 edge in shots, including a 6-5 advantage in SOG
-This is the first draw in the series between Mines and UCCS, the last coming in 2012 which was also a 2-2 draw
 
UP NEXT
Mines will be at home for three of the final four matches of the regular season, beginning Friday October 14 at 6 p.m. when they welcome Fort Lewis to Stermole Stadium prior to taking on Western Colorado Sunday October 16 at 12 p.m.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's soccer on Twitter at @mineswsoc. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.