(1) #1 Mines (17-0-1, 1-0-1) vs. (4) UCCS (10-7-2, 7-5-0) – Thursday, 1 p.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network PPV] [Tickets] [Online Store]
(3) #RV MSU Denver (10-3-6, 8-2-2) vs. (7) Fort Lewis (9-5-5, 5-4-3) – Thursday, 3:30 p.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network PPV] [Tickets] [Online Store]
Winner of Mines/UCCS vs. Winner of MSU Denver/Fort Lewis – Saturday, 6 p.m. – Golden, Colo. [Live Stats] [RMAC Network PPV] [Tickets] [Online Store]

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CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK
After getting some extended time off thanks in part to winning the RMAC regular season championship, the top-ranked Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team will play host this week to the 2024 RMAC Women's Soccer Championship at Stermole Stadium and begin their postseason campaign Thursday afternoon with a 1 p.m. bout against fourth-seeded UCCS. That match will be followed by the second semifinal between third-seeded #RV MSU Denver and seventh-seeded Fort Lewis, with the winners of the two games Thursday meeting in Saturday night's title match at 6 p.m.
 
FAN INFORMATION
Fans are reminded that the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference will be implementing a subscription model for all championship broadcasts. Fans will be able to purchase a championship pass for $20 to gain access to all broadcasts of the 2024 RMAC Women's Soccer Championship and watch on-demand, as well as a day pass available for $9.99 to gain access to broadcasts for any single day of action.
 
For technical support questions, fans may submit a support ticket with Hudl Support or email the RMAC directly (help@rmacsports.org). For further support, fans can visit the RMAC Network Help page.
 
Fans are also reminded that there is no passlist for the postseason. Fans are encouraged to purchase advance tickets through Hudl Tickets prior to the event. Single-match general admission tickets are $15 while tickets for children ages 6-17, adults over 65 and military personnel are $10. A two-day pass for both semifinal and championship matches is available for $25. The online portal to purchase tickets will close one hour prior to kickoff. Fans who do no pre-purchase tickets will need to pay cash at the gate. Student with a valid ID will be admitted at no cost.
 
Fans are encouraged to park in Lot K immediately to the north of Stermole Stadium, or in the parking garage off Maple Street. Those planning on attending Thursday's semifinals need to be aware that classes will be in session and parking may be limited. Likewise, those planning on attending Saturday's championship match need to be aware that the final home football game of the regular season will be taking place at noon and parking may also be at a premium late in the afternoon as that game wraps up. Fans as are not allowed to park in the neighborhood surrounding the Clear Creek Athletic Complex, as the City of Golden's street parking requires a permit seven days a week. Additional parking information can be found here.
 
LIVE COVERAGE
As mentioned previously, all postseason matches will be available on a pay-per-view basis on the RMAC Network. Free live stats will be available for each match. Links for video and stats for both matches can be found on minesathletics.com.
 
CHAMPIONSHIP ADVISORY
Fans are advised to take notice that the Orediggers' football team will be playing its final regular season home game at Marv Kay Stadium Saturday afternoon with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m. As the duration of the game is not a set item, fans are advised to take that into consideration when planning arrival times and seeking parking on campus. The K Lot directly to the north of Stermole Stadium is the preferred lot for soccer spectators but may not be able to offer its usual availability depending on how quickly crowds from the preceding football game depart. Alternatively, fans may park in the parking garage on Maple Street or Lot Q to the south of the CCAC. A full list of parking options can be found here.
 
WEEK 9 RECAP
Mines took home their seventh RMAC regular season title in program history to open the month of November two weekends ago as they dispatched #18 Colorado Mesa and Westminster by twin scores of 3-0. On November 1 against the Mavericks, Cloey Seltzer led the way with a pair of goals with one in between from Ellise Putnam as Reese McDermott and Kaitlyn Manalili added assists. Allie Lundgren and the defense were stout once more, posting another shutout and allowing just four shots on target over the course of 90 minutes.
 
Sunday the Orediggers sent their senior class out in style against the Griffins as Laura Butler, Bella Campos and Seltzer each scored with Campos and Paola Rubi adding assists in the winning effort. Lundgren made saves on the only two shots on frame before handing the keys over to Sadie Wolf for the final 13 minutes of play as the defense allowed just six shots in the match to cap the program's first full-length unbeaten season and second all-time when counting the abbreviated spring 2021 season.
 
RULES RESET
It wasn't too long ago that the NCAA implemented new changes to the soccer rules with the last set of changes coming in 2022. Now in 2024, there's been more tweaks to the rulebook, including at least a partial revision of one of the 2022 changes. First up is an adjustment to the substitution rules in the second half and overtime, when applicable. To avoid clock manipulation by teams that are ahead or teams that are tied late in a match, all substitutions within the final 15 minutes of regulation and any made during overtime will result in the clock being stopped. The second change affects overtime during the postseason, as sudden victory (otherwise known as the "Golden Goal") has been reinstated. In addition, video review has been expanded to review all penalty kick situations, all straight red cards events, denial of obvious goal-scoring opportunity situations and any potential offside violations in goal-scoring situations.
 
AT THE HELM
2024 marks the 15th season leading Mines for boss Kevin Fickes, the program's winningest head coach. With a career mark of 241-41-39 (.812), he ranks sixth in all of the NCAA and third in Division II among head coaches with at least five years of experience when it comes to winning percentage. One of two RMAC coaches with 200 career victories, under his direction Mines has overseen 36 All-America selections, 17 Academic All-America selections, 75 all-conference honorees and 25 RMAC major award winners. Fickes has also guided Mines to six RMAC regular season titles and nine RMAC Tournament crowns and made 15 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
THE CAPTAINS
The three Orediggers who wore the captain's 'C' in 2023 will do so again in 2024 as Ava Harman, Katie Koehler and Reese McDermott will all reprise their roles this fall.
 
Harman, a fifth-year player, started all 22 matches last season, logging a career-best marks with two goals and seven assists with both goals being game winners. Going back to her freshman season in the spring of 2020, Harman has started 68 of 72 matches in her career entering this fall.
 
Koehler, another fifth-year player, tied her career high with four goals last fall while also registering the first two assists of her career from her center back spot after starting 21 of 22 matches. Like Harman, she brings a wealth of experience and has started 69 times in her 72 matches played for over 6,000 minutes through four seasons.
 
McDermott enters her fourth and final season at Mines as one of the greatest to ever don the Silver & Blue with her named dotted across the program's record book. The reigning RMAC Player of the Year, former Freshman of the Year and three-time First Team All-RMAC selection, she scored 11 times with a career-high eight assists in 2023 with four game-winners while starting 21 times in 22 matches. Another experienced veteran, the striker started 59 times in 63 matches over the course of her first three seasons.
 
IN THE POLLS
It was a close one, but in the RMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll Mines was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the league in 2024, earning seven first place votes while reigning champions UCCS earned six. Colorado Mesa was picked to finish third with Regis and MSU Denver rounding out the top five.
 
Mines held pat atop the national rankings for the fifth consecutive week followed by Columbus State, Ashland and Cal Poly Pomona. Gannon moved up two places from seventh to fifth while last week's #5 Adelphi dropped to 14th this week. Colorado Mesa moved up to #18 ahead of Friday's match with the Orediggers while MSU Denver continued to earn votes.
 
POSTSEASON HONORS
The Orediggers cleaned up this week when it came to the RMAC postseason major awards and All-Conference teams. Reese McDermott and Bella Campos were named Co-Player of the Year while Ava Harman became the third Oredigger in as many seasons to be named Defensive Player of the Year, joining Natalie Rouse and Jordan Barnhart. Kevin Fickes was named Coach of the Year by his peers while a further three Mines players earned All-RMAC honors, with Cloey Seltzer being named all-conference First Team, Lauren Clingman being named a Second Team honoree and Kaitlyn Manalili earning Honorable Mention honors. Read more about the postseason honors for the Orediggers here.
 
TOP OF THE CLASS
For the second year running, Reese McDermott was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Academic Player of the Year, becoming the first player in program history to achieve the feat and earning the program's fourth all-time honor. Joining McDermott on the league's All-Academic First Team were midfielder Kaitlyn Manalili and goalkeeper Allie Lundgren while a further 16 Orediggers earned Academic Honor Roll status. Read more about the brainy bunch here.
 
IN THE NEWS
Denver7's Bradey King came out last week to shine a light on the Orediggers' run of success in 2024 and talked with Ava Harman, Lauren Clingman and Kevin Fickes about the season that has been and what to look forward to as the postseason begins. Watch the story that aired on last Friday's evening news here.
 
LOOKING AT THE BRACKET
It's already been an exciting and eventful opening four matches of the 2024 RMAC Women's Soccer Championship headlined by the Skyhawks of Fort Lewis storming their way into the semifinals. FLC had to postpone their play-in game against eighth-seeded Regis to Saturday on account of last week's winter storm, but the delay didn't deter the Skyhawks as they blanked the Ranger 3-0 to advance to the quarterfinals Monday in Grand Junction against second-seeded Colorado Mesa. In a match in which the Mavericks dominated the stat sheet, the two teams played to a scoreless draw through overtime and went to penalties. Finally in the 11th round it was Fort Lewis who emerged victorious as CMU's Carli Dare missed before Jenna Salazar converted the winner to advance 8-7.
 
Other quarterfinals saw the higher seeds handle business with #4 UCCS holding off Colorado Christian 2-1 as all three goals in that match came in a 15-minute stretch of the first half. MSU Denver scored once in their 3-6 matchup against Westminster and got some help on an own goal by the Griffins in the second half. WU did convert a penalty kick in the 67th minute but the Roadrunners' defense was stingy and allowed just seven total shots in the match to advance to the second semifinal.
 
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
During the 90 minutes that comprise a soccer match throughout the year and whatever additional time is needed to determine a winner in the postseason, team try and maximize every second to gain an advantage. Having highly skilled players who know how to navigate around the field efficiently to find their teammates and manufacture chances aids in that endeavor to a high degree. In the case of the Orediggers, Reese McDermott is one of those skilled players and following last Sunday, has added another time-based accomplishment to her already extensive list of accomplishments. The senior from Houston now holds the following records when it comes to timing and scoring:
                Fastest Goal To Start A Match
                1. 0:35 vs. UCCS, 11/13/22
                T2. 0:46 vs. Westminster, 10/2/22
                Fastest Consecutive Goals, Same Player
                0:29 at Saint Martin's, 9/20/24
                Latest Goal In Regulation
                89:53 vs. #RV MSU Denver, 10/27/24
                Latest Game-Winner In Regulation
                89:53 vs. #RV MSU Denver, 10/27/24
 
CLIMBING THE RANKS, PART I
When it's all said and done, Reese McDermott will go down as one of the all-time greats to ever play at Mines. After scoring the game-winner October 25 at NMHU, McDermott has scored the go-ahead goal 17 times, two shy of Anna Evans (2010-13) for second all-time. She also became the third player to score 50 or more goals in a career in the match and is five back of Evans for second in that category as well. Meanwhile, her 117 points trail Megan Woodworth (2009-12) by three for third in record books.
 
Bella Campos stands alongside McDermott as the only other double-digit scorer in the RMAC this season and was the only player in the RMAC to record a hat trick in league play this season. She now has 27 goals in not even two plus seasons to surge into a tie for fifth on the all-time scoring list. Her 63 career points also place her in sixth as she trails Nicole LaTourette (2016-19) by three points and is now tied for fifth in goals.
 
CLIMBING THE RANKS, PART II
While not seeing much time of late in goal, Sadie Wolf is still on track to be one of the top keepers in program history. Already the owner of 19 shutouts, good for fourth all-time, her career GAA of 0.59 is also good for third in the record books while she owns the longest consecutive scoreless minutes streak of 996:02 which she set last fall from September 24-November 12 and is tied for the second-most consecutive full shutouts with five.
 
Fellow netminder Allie Lundgren has emerged this season and finds her name in the record books with eight shutouts and has moved past Penny Rogers (2008-11) for seventh all-time.
 
When it comes to assists, McDermott along with Ellise Putnam are both closing in on top five status. The former now has 16 dimes in her career while the latter has 15 as they trail Kayla Mitchell (2006-09) by two and three for fifth all-time.
 
CHECKING THE STATS
Only two players scored 10 or more goals in the RMAC this season and both wear Silver and Blue as Reese McDermott led the league with 16 points and five assists for 37 points while Bella Campos backed up her Freshman of the Year season with 11 goals and five assists for 27 points. The trio of Cloey Seltzer, Ava Harman and Ellise Putnam all scored four times this season and combined for eight assists between them with Seltzer accounting for four at her midfield spot.
 
The trio of Kaitlyn Manalili, Afton Rasco and Laura Butler each scored three times while Manalili also added a team-leading six assists as part of a breakout season in 2024. Ariana Ahumada, Gab Guerrero and Natalie Rouse all scored as well this season to help make up the balance of offensive production.
 
In goal Allie Lundgren shined in her first season as a starter. Logging 1,370 minutes over 16 outings and making 38 saves against just five goals allowed for a 0.33 GAA and an .844 save rate with eight solo shutouts against 99 shots faced. Sadie Wolf started the season in goal before shifting into a reserve role and has played 250 minutes this season and made seven saves against just one goal allowed for a 0.36 GAA and .875 save percentage with a shutout against 17 shots faced. Together the duo has combined for a further three shutouts.
 
For the season, Mines is +46 goal differential at 52-6 and is averaging just shy of three goals per match at 2.89 while taking 20.5 shots per night. Opponents meanwhile are averaging 0.33 goals and just 6.4 shots per match and have been held to five shots or fewer 10 times. They have 38 assists on their 52 goals and are 4-6 on penalties while taking 116 corner kicks. In goal that have combined for 45 saves and defensively been whistled for 110 fouls and issued just three cautions.
 
SCOUTING UCCS
After getting off to an uncharacteristically slow start to the season, the Mountain Lions won seven of eight to end the regular season and roll into Thursday's matchup on a five-match winning streak.
 
11 different players have scored for the Mountain Lions this fall led by First Team All-RMAC selection Emily Aguilar with seven goals. Taylynn Levi, Fie Steenberg and Luka Johnson were all named Second Team selections and scored six, five and five goals respectively with Steenberg also registering a team-best five assists while Levi and Johnson each added a pair.
 
Amelia McManus and Brooke Pavlich have each scored three times while Abby Stassi and Jadyn LeDoux each have a pair. RMAC Freshman of the Year Malia Groshong also scored this year and is one of three players for UCCS with one goal to their credit.
 
Turning to a pair of true freshmen in goal this season, Alexis Malaspina emerged as the starter, making 16 appearances for 1,407 minutes and making 56 saves against 18 goals allowed for a 1.15 GAA and a .757 save rate with six shutouts against 149 shots faced. Izzy Lalouette drew the starting assignment against Mines back on September 27 as one of her three starts in five games this season and over 303 minutes made 10 saves against eight goals allowed for a .238 GAA and .556 save percentage against 33 shots.
 
For the season UCCS is +10 in scoring at 36-26 and averages 1.89 goals on 15.8 shots per game while allowing 1.37 goals and 9.5 shots on average to opponents. They have 21 assists on their 36 goals and have combined for 66 saves in goal. They are 3-6 on PKs this season and have taken 91 corner kicks while being whistled for 151 fouls and issued nine yellow cards.
 
SCOUTING MSU DENVER
The Roadunners went 2-0-2 to end the regular after a 2-1 loss to the Orediggers on October 20 and posted shutouts over Adams State, Western Colorado and Fort Lewis but only scored three times in those matches. Sunday's 2-1 win over Westminster saw MSUD actively score once before the Griffins put the ball in the back of their own net for the second goal of the game.
 
An even dozen players have scored for MSU Denver in 2024 led by Second Team All-RMAC selection Tessa Killmon and Honorable Mention honoree Madrid Mack with three goals apiece. Brooklyn Gold, Monica Yoder, Jenelle Arenibas and Sami Spring each scored twice while a further six players all scored once.
 
Two of those six, Isa Durkin and Maddy Rueter, are currently tied for the team lead in assists with two as nine more Roadrunners have a single tally to their credit.
 
In goal, Kylie Bach has played all but 34 minutes this season and in the more the 1,676 she's played has logged 73 saves against 10 goals allowed for a 0.54 GAA and an .880 save rate with 11 shutouts against 175 shots on her way to Second Team All-RMAC honors. She's backed up by Kayla Caballero who has played 34 minutes in two games and is yet to record any statistics.
 
Collectively, MSUD is +11 in scoring this season a 21-10 and averages 1.11 goals on 11.5 shots per game while limiting teams to 0.53 goals and 9.2 shots. They have 13 assists on their 21 goals and have combined for 75 saves in goal. They are 3-3 on penalties this fall and taken 100 corner kicks. They have been whistled for 100 fouls and issued 15 yellow cards.
 
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS
The Skyhawks may be the hottest of the four teams in the semifinals as they are two games deep in the postseason and have put on a show in both, knocking off eighth-seeded Regis in the play-in game 3-0 before winning an 11-round penalty shootout over Colorado Mesa 8-7 following a scoreless draw Monday night in Grand Junction.
 
Ashlyn Salas leads the team in scoring with six goals and is followed by Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection Abila Tapia with five goals along with two assists. The trio of Abigail Nkrumah, Haley Stafford and Jenna Salazar have all scored three times while five other Skyhawks have a pair of goals. Five more players round out the scoring with one goal each as 15 different players are responsible for the team's offensive production this fall.
 
Another Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection Josie Coulter leads the team with five assists while Danielle Gonzales is second with four. Nkrumah and Sabrina Reyes have three apiece while for more players each have two assists while three Skyhawks have one each.
 
In goal, the tag-team partners of Riley Bravin and Katlyn Rosenbaum have combined for a dandy of a season and put up nearly identical numbers. Bravin has started 11 times in 18 games for 765 minutes and made 41 saves against 10 goals allowed for a 1.18 GAA and .804 save percentage against 97 shots faced. Rosenbaum meanwhile has started eight times in 19 games for 927 minutes and made 44 saves against 10 goals allowed for a 0.97 GAA and .815 save rate against 137 shots and has the only solo shutout of the season of the eight by the Skyhawks in 2024.
 
On the season, FLC is +15 in goal differential at 35-20 and trails only UCCS and Mines in offensive output. They average 1.84 goals on 15.0 shots per match while allowing 1.05 goals on 12.3 shots. They have 26 assists on their 35 goals and have 90 saves in goal. They are 1-2 on penalty kicks and have taken 66 corner kicks. Defensively they have been whistled for 150 fouls, issued 15 cautions and one ejection.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Mines leads the all-time series with UCCS 18-8-2 and is 10-3-1 when playing at home including a 4-1 win on the opening weekend of RMAC play this season back on September 27. The two teams also have a rich history of meeting in the postseason with the last time they met in the RMAC Tournament coming in the fall 2021 semifinals, which saw the Mountain Lions advance with a 1-0 win in Colorado Springs.
 
Against MSU Denver the Orediggers at 19-7-8 and 14-3-1 at home including a 2-1 win on the latest goal and game-winner in regulation thanks to Reese McDermott back on October 20 in Golden. The Orediggers and Roadrunners last met in the RMAC Tournament in semifinals action during the 2022 season which resulted in a thrilling 3-2 finish in what at the time was the new overtime rules in which there was no golden goal and both 10-minute extra periods were to be played out.
 
When it comes to the Skyhawks, Mines is 20-7-3 all-time and 12-1-1 when playing as the home team. Earlier this season the Orediggers went to Durango and logged a 5-1 win on October 11. The two teams met in the RMAC quarterfinals last fall and saw Bella Campos lead the way to a 3-0 win with just the second postseason hat trick in program history. Over the last 12 meetings with FLC, Mines is 10-0-2 and has not lost since 2015.
 
UP NEXT
With a win, the Orediggers will advance to the championship match of the 2024 RMAC Women's Soccer Championship against the winner of Fort Lewis and MSU Denver. With a loss, Mines will await their NCAA Tournament fate with the selection show set for 5 p.m. MT on Monday November 18.
 
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.