SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Making the return trip to California for their season opener Friday, the #19 Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team kicked off the 20th season in program history looking to stay perfect against San Francisco State. While it may not have been shades of last season's opener against the Gators (0-1-0), the Orediggers (1-0-0) came through in the end thanks to a goal in the final 25 minutes by senior captain Reese McDermott to post a 1-0 victory on opening day.
 
It didn't take long for McDermott to take aim for the first time this season as her shot in the fourth minute was on target but found the hands of Cameryn Nunn before tries from Afton Rasco and Ava Harman both missed their mark in the following minutes.
 
Following a flurry of subs for both sides near the midway point of the period, Gaby Guerrero looked to break the seal in the 27th minute but was turned away with a save. Katie Koehler had a couple of looks miss the mark including one off a set piece where Mines was absolutely clinical in 2023 while Kaitlyn Manalili lined one up just before the half, but after 45 minutes things remained right where they started at 0-0.
 
Again, it was McDermott lining one up almost immediately in the second half and again coming up empty on another save. Sadie Wolf was finally put to the test for Mines in the 53rd minute when Emily Gerhlein-Allen tried to go low center, but the junior was having none of it as she secured the save.
 
Following a trio of substitutions, Mines finally broke through in the 67th minute when Cloey Seltzer and McDermott teamed up with the latter finding the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.
 
Seltzer then tried to get in on the action herself with a shot in the 69th minute, but it remained a one-score game as Nunn made the save. What ended up being SFSU's only shot at an equalizer came in the 73rd minute when Grace Messenger looked to go top shelf, but Wolf was again up to the task and made the save.
 
The final 17 minutes went by without any further chances materializing for either side and as the clock hit zero, it was the Orediggers who found themselves the victors on opening day by a final of 1-0.
 
NOTABLES
-McDermott now has 35 career goals and is three back of Megan Woodworth (2009-12) for third all-time and raises her point total to 82; additionally, she now has 12 game-winners and is one shy of Woodworth in that category for third all-time as well
-The Houston native now has two career opening day scores, the last coming on September 2, 2021 against Simon Fraser
-Wolf logged a pair of saves in the 19th shutout of her career as she now sits seven back of Briana Schulze for third all-time
-Seltzer's assist was the eighth of her career and comes on the heels of a seven assist campaign last fall; going back to last season the graduate student has now recorded a point in seven of the last 10 matches she's played dating back to October 15, 2023 against MSU Denver
-Guerrero logged two shots with one on target over 81 minutes in her first career start
-Freshmen Sam Forde and Jordan Bowermaster each made their collegiate debuts off the bench, logging nine and 35 minutes respectively
-Wolf and the defense allowed just two shots to the Gators over the duration of 90 minutes
-Mines improves to 11-5-4 all-time in season openers and improves to a perfect 4-0-0 against SFSU
 
UP NEXT
Mines will be back in action Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m. PT as they close out their California trip with a matchup against Chico State.