GOLDEN, Colo. – On a night where the weather was more appropriate for the Pacific Northwest than the base of the Rocky Mountains, the second-ranked Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team squared off with the defending NCAA Division II national champions Western Washington on a cool and rainy Thursday evening at Stermole Stadium. All-American Reese McDermott rose to the challenge for the Orediggers (4-0-1), scoring twice in the first 14 minutes of the action to set the tone early to overcome the elements and the Vikings (2-2-0) by a final score of 2-0 and continue their unbeaten start to the season.
 
With the rain coming down and field conditions the included some pooling water in places, the Orediggers and Vikings both tried to find the footing literally and figuratively as the match began 15 minutes later than originally planned on account of some pregame lightning delays. Kaitlyn Manalili put up the night's first shot in the fifth minute, but it was McDermott just 76 seconds later in the sixth minute who was able to put the first goal of the night on the board. Landry Corbett played a beautiful ball ahead to McDermott, who was able to outrace a pair of WWU defenders before shaking goalie Claire Henninger and finishing the play off with her second goal of the season.
 
When play resumed, Morgan Manalili, twin sister of Kaitlyn and the GNAC Freshman of the Year in 2022, went on a run up the near side with ideas of tying things up, but her try missed just right of goal. Payton Neal tested Keira Garcia in goal for the first time in the 13th minute as the true freshman made her first save of the night.
 
The second goal of the night wasn't too far behind the first one, as Mines kept up the pressure on offense. A Western Washington corner kick was played back out to midfield where it was headed back nearly all the way to the top of the 18-yard box, where McDermott was able to collect it momentarily before it was knocked away by the defense. Afton Rasco chased down the loose ball and was able to make a pair of moves to get enough space to thread a pass through two more defenders to McDermott, who fired a shot from 12-yards out and was able to get the friendly bounce off the far post for her second goal of the night to make it 2-0.
 
With the rain continuing to fall, chances for both teams remained at a premium, as just two more shots were attempted in the opening period, both of which missed their mark as 45 minutes came and went with Mines up 2-0.
 
In the second half, it was once again Kaitlyn Manalili who put up the first shot as both teams began the second stanza of the night with a brief respite from the rain. Ellise Putnam had a chance to make it 3-0 in the 52nd minute but Henninger was there to make the save this time and keep it a two-goal game.
 
Rasco had a pair of looks in the 57th and 61st minutes, but the first was blocked and the second missed out right as the precipitation once again resumed at steady pace moving toward the halfway point of the period.
 
Sophie Bearden Croft looked to get the Vikings on the board in the 78th minute, but Garcia was there to make the save once more. Tired, cold and wet, neither side was able to mount much on offense in the final 15 minutes of the night despite going to their benches to get some fresher and somewhat dryer legs on the field as Mines was able to keep Western Washington at bay. With the 10-second countdown on its way toward the end of regulation, Bella Campos was able to get a wide-open run down the center of the field after a series of corner kick tries and was one-on-one with Henninger, who was able to guess the correct way, moving to her right to deny the freshman a buzzer-beater goal as the night concluded with a 2-0 Orediggers win.
 
NOTABLES
-McDermott collected her first multi-goal game of the season and the sixth of her Mines career, the last coming on October 23 of last season at CSU Pueblo
-The junior now has 58 career points, moving into sole possession of fifth all-time behind Nicole LaTourette (2016-19) with 65; her 26 career goals are just one behind LaTourette for fourth all-time in scoring, as are her eight game-winning goals
-Rasco's assist in the match now gives her three career points against the Vikings; she scored the lone goal for the Orediggers in last season's NCAA quarterfinal match
-Corbett's assist now gives her 14 in her Mines career and was her second of the season
-Garcia logged two saves and a shutout in her first career collegiate start
-The Orediggers outshot WWU 11-7 overall and 4-2 in shots on goal in the match
-Mines snapped a two-match winless streak in the series to pick up their first win against the Vikings since 2019, which also came in Golden
-The Orediggers are now unbeaten in their last 36 matches at Stermole Stadium
 
UP NEXT
Mines has one more match at home to close out their six-match homestand, taking place Saturday at 6 p.m. against Seattle Pacific.
 
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.