GOLDEN, Colo. – Under overcast skies Sunday afternoon, the seventh-ranked Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team took the field for a Top 10 clash against third-ranked Dallas Baptist in a rematch of the 2022 NCAA Tournament from a season ago. Despite the Patriots (2-0-1) scoring a pair of goals in the first half to take the early lead, the Orediggers (3-0-1) flipped the script in the second half and scored two goals of their own to earn their first draw of the 2023 season with a 2-2 result.
 
It didn't take long after the opening whistle for both teams to start posting shot attempts as Landry Corbett put up the first of the day just 78 seconds into the contest before DBU reciprocated less than a minute later. Bella Campos tested keeper Carman Lopez in the fourth minute with a shot attempt, but the save was made as both teams kept up the fast-paced action.
 
The Patriots aggressiveness paid off first, as Sophia Schrock was able to pocket a goal off a rebound off the crossbar from Taylor Tufts in the 27th minute to take the early lead. Sadie Wolf logged a save in the 31st minute before Reese McDermott was turned away in the 35th. The Patriots' lead swelled to two just moments later when Tufts was able to connect on a ball from Elise Borders as the visitors ended up taking a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
 
The pace of play didn't slow down much as the second half opened, but it certainly seemed to shift towards Mines as the Orediggers looked to be a different team coming out of the locker room. Ellise Putnam, Cloey Seltzer and McDermott helped push the pace even more and put pressure on the DBU defense. That pressure soon paid dividends as in the 57th minute, Seltzer played a corner kick perfectly into the box to find the head of none other than Natalie Rouse who was able to finish for the goal and get the home team on the board.
 
Three more shots followed by Mines in near succession as play resumed after the goal, as the Patriots tried to regroup and stem the tide of momentum that had turned in favor of the Orediggers. Shortly after subbing back into the match, freshman Bella Campos delivered the equalizer in the 75th minute, taking a pass from McDermott before finishing with her left foot while falling to the turf to beat the keeper to the far post to even the score at 2-2.
 
With less than 15 minutes to go, the Orediggers now looked to complete the comeback effort and score the go-ahead goal, but it was not to be as tries from Afton Rasco and McDermott were both turned back was 90 minutes came and went, seeing Mines rally to earn the 2-2 result.
 
NOTABLES
-Rouse and Campos each scored their third goal of the season in the match and remain tied for the team lead in that department
-Seltzer recorded her first assist of the season while McDermott notched her second in the first four matches
-After being outshot 8-5 in the first half, Mines turned things around and outshot DBU 17-0 in the second half and finished the day with an 8-4 edge in shots on goal
-McDermott and Rasco each led the way with four shot attempts while Campos had three and Seltzer and Putnam each had a pair
-Wolf recorded two saves in the first half before yielding to Keira Gracia in goal for the second half
-The Orediggers are now unbeaten in their last 35 matches at Stermole Stadium
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers close out their season-opening six-match homestand next weekend starting with #1 Western Washington Thursday September 14 at 7 p.m. before taking on Seattle Pacific Saturday September 16 at 7 p.m.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's soccer on Twitter and Instagram 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.