#20 Mines (3-1-1) at Adams State (1-3-0) – Friday, 3 p.m. – Alamosa, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
#20 Mines (3-1-1) at New Mexico Highlands (0-4-0) – Sunday, 12 p.m. – Las Vegas, N.M. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network]
 
RMAC ACTION BEGINS
The #20 Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team returns to the road for the third-straight weekend when they travel to Adams State Friday for a 3 p.m. contest for the RMAC opener for both teams before heading to the Land of Enchantment for a 12 p.m. match Sunday at New Mexico Highlands.

LIVE COVERAGE
Both matches this weekend will be streamed free of charge on the RMAC Network and will have live stats through SIDEARM.
 
AT THE HELM
Head Coach Kevin Fickes is in his 13th season leading the Mines women's soccer program, already the program's all-time leader in wins at 194-36-33. His .800 career win percentage is currently among the top-10 active NCAA Division II coaches, and he could become just the second RMAC coach to reach 200 career victories this season joining current UCCS boss J.B. Belzer. Through 2021, Fickes has overseen 24 All-American selections, 12 Academic All-Americans, 63 all-conference honorees, and 19 RMAC major award winners while guiding Mines to five RMAC regular-season titles and eight RMAC Tournament trophies, with 12 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

WEARING THE ARMBAND
The Orediggers have selected Jordan Barnhart and Meg Zimmerman as their captains for the 2022 season. Barnhart is entering her third season as a starter at centerback and played more minutes than any other Oredigger last season in guiding a defense that had a 0.73 GAA. Zimmerman, a forward, is a fifth-year senior returning from an injury-shortened 2021 season that saw her score a goal in the season opener; she has five career goals and three assists.
 
WEEK THREE REVIEW
Mines was set to play two matches last week in The Evergreen State last weekend but was only able to get in Friday's match against Seattle Pacific, as Sunday's contest against Western Washington was cancelled due to poor air quality caused by wildfire smoke. Against the #17 Falcons, it was Mines who came out on top by a final of 2-0, using first half goals by Laura Butler and Amena Nelson and a strong defensive effort that included three saves by Emma Carstens to record the Orediggers' first Top-25 win of the season. For her efforts, Butler was announced Tuesday the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.
 
IN THE POLLS
The Orediggers were chosen atop the RMAC preseason coaches' poll announced earlier this month and returned to the rankings at #20 in the United Soccer Coaches Division II Top-25 poll. It was a close race in the RMAC poll with Mines, UCCS, and Colorado Mesa all splitting the bulk of the first-place votes and just three points overall separating the three teams.  One of Mines' previous opponents, Dallas Baptist, is now in sole possession of first place in the poll while Angelo State and Seattle Pacific are receiving votes this week.  
 
ON TRACK
This year's roster boasts not one, but two dual-sport athletes as both senior Amena Nelson and freshman Callie Fuhr will spend their winters and springs competing for the Mines track & field program. Nelson can rightly claim to be the RMAC's fastest woman on the track or the pitch, coming off a superb outdoor season that saw her win the RMAC 400m dash title and claim RMAC 4x400 gold both indoors and out. Fuhr is also a 400m runner as a four-time Colorado 5A state qualifier and two-time top-10 placer in the event.  

THEM'S THE RULES
NCAA soccer has implemented a major rule change this season with the elimination of overtime in the regular season, bringing college soccer more in line with the FIFA Laws of the Game. Any match that is tied at the 90-minute mark will now end that way. In the postseason, there will be overtime but no more golden goal; teams will play two full 10-minute extra periods regardless of any goals and if it is still tied, the advancing team will be decided on penalty kicks.
 
SCOUTING ADAMS STATE
Adams State broke into the win column in 2022 for the first time last weekend with a 2-0 win over Texas A&M International Friday before dropping a 1-0 decision to St. Mary's Sunday and being shutout for the third time in four matches to open the campaign. When Mines comes to town this week, it will be the fourth of five-straight matches at home for the Grizzlies who begin the season playing five of their first six opponents in Alamosa. Carena Harrison and Emily Chamberlain are responsible for ASU's two goals this season, while Colette Tena has two of the team's three assists this season, with Harrison responsible for the third. Ashlyn Bartley has seen all 360 minutes of action in goal so far this season and has made 18 saves against 46 shots and has a GAA of 2.00 and one shutout so far in the early going. Last season, ASU went 1-9-2 in RMAC play and finished 12th in the league.
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS
The Cowgirls are still looking for their first win of 2022 having started the season 0-4 and been outscored 16-1 in the early going and having been shutout in three-straight matches, including a 4-0 loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State last Sunday. When Mines and New Mexico Highlands tangle Sunday, it will be the sixth-straight match at home to begin the season for NMHU before the finish the season with six of their next 10 on the road. Melissa Olivares has the only goal of the season for the Cowgirls and that came on opening day back on August 29 against Chaminade. In goal, Isabella Ortiz has seen all 360 minutes of action this season and has 21 saves against 50 shots faced. Last season, New Mexico Highlands went 1-11-0 in RMAC action and finished 13th in the final standings.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines has seen considerable success against each of their two opponents this weekend. Against Adams State, the Orediggers are 15-2-1 all-time and are currently riding a 10-match winning streak and have won 16 of the last 17 meetings, the exception being a 2-2 draw in overtime back in 2011. The Grizzlies' only two wins in the series came in the first two meetings between the schools in in the 2005 season. When it comes to New Mexico Highlands, Mines leads the series 17-4-3 all-time and has won eight-straight and 11 of the previous 12 meetings, notwithstanding a scoreless draw in 2014. The Cowgirls' last win in the series came in 2011.
 
EARLY LEADERS
Five matches are in the books in 2022 for Colorado Mines and six different players have found the net this season, with now five scoring multiple goals. Reese McDermott's five goals lead the team and ranks among the national leaders and is second in the RMAC. Laura Butler, who scored her third goal of the season last weekend, leads the team with four assists. Both of those marks are currently second in the league, as Colorado Mesa's Lila Dere leads the league with eight goals and Westminster's Alexa Maple is tops in the conference with six assists. Amena Nelson, Afton Rasco and Paola Rubi all have two goals apiece, while Brooke Pennington has one to her ledger. In goal, Emma Carstens has played all 450 minutes this season and made 16 saves while posting a GAA of 1.00 to with a trio of shutouts, all of which rank in the top-10 of the league in the early going.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
After nearly a month on the road, the Orediggers will return home to Stermole Stadium Friday September 23 for their first RMAC home match of the season against Black Hills State at 7:30 p.m. before making the short hop down the road to take on MSU Denver Sunday September 25 a t 1 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.