COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Looking to rebound from a setback last time out, the 15th-ranked Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team was on the road for the first time in 2023 as they made the trip south down I-25 for the start of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play against UCCS. Unfortunately for the Orediggers (4-2-1, 0-1-0), there was no respite Thursday night against the Mountain Lions (3-2-2, 1-0-0), as they came out on the wrong end of a 2-0 result.
 
Not much happened in the early moments as both teams looked to feel each other out to begin the evening. Ellise Putnam put up the night's first shot in the 10th minute, but it was a 13th minute shot from Anna Vince that saw UCCS get on the scoreboard first.
 
As play resumed, shot opportunities remained hard to come by as just three combined attempts came in the next 29 minutes. One of those tries came from Landry Corbett, as the chance for the equalizer was on target but saved by keeper Isabella Whitmore. Mines launched a flurry of shots in the final moments of the opening period, but Putnam, Laure Butler and Cloey Seltzer all came up empty, although Butler's try in the 44th minute rattled off the crossbar, narrowly missing out on tying things up before the half.
 
When play resumed in the second half, the Orediggers came out the aggressors, as Katie Koehler put a pair of shots on frame within the first five minutes, but came away empty-handed. McDermott had a look in the 61st minute, but she too had nothing to show for it as Whitmore remained stout in goal for the home team.
 
While UCCS didn't have many looks to score in the match, they made the ones they got count as in the 77th minute, Sydney Lasater scored on a ball from Abby Barhydt to double the lead to 2-0 with less than 15 minutes remaining.
 
Now trailing by a pair, Mines needed to try and find something to work on offense, but to the credit of the UCCS defense, they weren't able to do so, being held without a shot for the remainder of the night. Sadie Wolf made a save in the final minute, but it was all but wrapped up by that point as the Orediggers fell in their RMAC opener 2-0.
 
NOTABLES
-Mines outshot UCCS 12-8 for the match and 4-3 in shots on goal
-Putnam led the way with three shots while Koehler, McDermott and Butler each added a pair
-Wolf recorded a save in goal as she returned to the starting lineup
-The loss is the first RMAC setback for the Orediggers since November 3, 2021 when they fell to Regis in the regular season finale 1-0 in overtime
-Mines has now lost consecutive matches for the first time since September of 2012 and first shutout loss since the 2021 NCAA tournament
 
UP NEXT
Mines will look to rebound as RMAC play continues when they again head south to CSU Pueblo Sunday for a 1 p.m. matchup.
 
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.