GOLDEN, Colo. – Laura Butler and Reese McDermott each recorded a goal in a thrilling match in the 2022 RMAC Women's Soccer Tournament semifinals, withstanding a late surge to record a 3-2 win over MSU Denver.
 
The Orediggers (15-1-3) scored the first goal of the night in the second half and looked poised to win in regulation before the Roadrunners (12-4-4) netted a late equalizer, but a pair of overtime time goals by two of Mines' First Team All-RMAC selections proved to be the difference in an instant postseason classic.
 
MSU Denver put Sadie Wolf to the test early in the first minute of play, as Isa Durkin tallied the night's first shot but the save was made as the action got underway. Paola Rubi had back-to-back tries to get Mines on the board first in the third minute, but a block and a save by Kylie Bach kept things level.
 
The teams continued to trade shots every handful of minutes, but both netminders were able to turn away each attempt with the pace of the action going up on seemingly every touch of the ball. As the minutes continued to elapse, both sides continued to search for the first goal of the evening as it seemed more and more that one goal might just be the difference in the outcome. The Orediggers defense dug their heels in the final 15 minutes of the opening period, not allowing a shot to the Roadrunners while a 43rd minute try from Callie Fuhr to get on the board was saved by Bach as the half came to a close with no score as both sides looked to catch their breath.
 
The second half opened and saw Afton Rasco with an early chance to get Mines on the board first but missed her mark before Katy Coats put a shot on goal that was saved by Wolf. McDermott had a near miss on the 58th minute, as her shot went just wide of the far post as the match remained scoreless.
 
Both MSU Denver and Mines kept firing away in search of the night's elusive first goal, but as the action continued, neither found much success. Durkin and Kate Giordano both missed wide right for the Roadrunners while Landry Corbett's try in the 68th minute was again saved by Bach.
 
It wasn't until the 78th minute that Mines was able to finally break the seal and get on the board. After Cloey Seltzer was fouled inside the box and a penalty kick was awarded, Jordan Barnhart stepped up and was able to tune out a raucous crowd of Roadrunner fans to bury the shot in the lower right corner to make it a 1-0 contest.
 
Now with their backs up against the wall and facing elimination, MSUD looked to find any way to even the score and get back into contention. They were able to do just that in the 88th minute, when a free kick from Coats just outside the box on the near side of the field found its way past Wolf to even the action at 1-1. The Roadrunners, now with momentum behind them, then looked to win in the final minute of regulation to advance, but Paloma Teran's try in the final minute didn't quite have enough on it as Wolf made the easy save as regulation came and went with overtime following closely behind.
 
For the Orediggers, they were in unfamiliar territory, playing past regulation for the first time this season under the new overtime rules, which removed the golden goal and replaced it with two 10-minute periods to be played in full, regardless of any scoring that may occur.
 
It didn't take long for Mines to get comfortable in the first extra frame, as McDermott scored just 58 seconds into the period, heading home a long cross from Landry Corbett into the lower right corner to retake the lead 2-1.
 
The action continued on, as once more the Roadrunners looked to net an equalizer, but the Orediggers' defense stood tall once more, allowing just two shot attempts to the visitors in the first extra period, taking a one-goal lead into the night's final stanza.
 
The first shot of the final overtime period came from MSUD, but the next goal of the night came from Mines. The Roadrunners defense caused McDermott to briefly lose possession, but the ball carried right to a waiting Elise Putnam, who played a shallow cross to Butler at the top of the six-yard box, who buried a shot in the lower right corner of goal to make it 3-1 Orediggers in the 103rd minute.
 
Trailing by a pair now with time winding down, MSU Denver pushed the intensity up even more, trying to erase the deficit in the waning moments of the evening. The Roadrunners were able to close to within one in the final two minutes, as a free kick from outside the box looked like it may be curving wide, but a deflection off the Mines defense redirected the ball past Wolf into the net to make it 3-2.
 
After the final kickoff of the night, the Orediggers were able to keep MSUD at bay for the final 88 seconds of the night and collect a 3-2 win in a postseason thriller to advance to Saturday afternoon's title match.
 
NOTABLES
-Barnhart converted her second penalty attempt in as many matches and is now 3-3 on the season
-Butler's goal was her seventh of the season and second in the RMAC Tournament; she has now scored in back-to-back matches for the third time in 2022
-McDermott has now scored in each of Mines' last four matches and seven of the last eight; she now has 14 goals on the season, now tied for fourth-most in a season with Anna Evans (2013)
-Wolf recorded a career-high seven saves in the match and improves to 8-0-1 to begin her collegiate career
-MSU Denver and Mines finished dead even on the shot chart, with 19 total shots and eight shots on goal in each in the match
-The match was the first time the Orediggers have gone to overtime under the new NCAA rules; it was the first match to go to overtime since an NCAA First Round contest with Midwestern State on November 19 of last season
-Mines will be playing for their ninth RMAC Tournament title Saturday and for the first time since the 2019 season
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers will host third-seeded Regis in the finals of the 2022 RMAC Women's Soccer Tournament at Stermole Stadium Saturday November 5 at 12 p.m.
 
Fans are reminded that there is no passlist for the postseason. All students with a valid ID card will be admitted free of charge to all matches. All matches will be streamed on the RMAC Network. Tickets and additional tournament information can be found here.
 
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.