MONMOUTH, Ore. – Back on the road Thursday evening to open their second road trip of the 2025 season, the #1 Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team was dealt their first loss of the new campaign in a 2-1 result against Western Oregon. The Orediggers (3-1-0) scored first thanks to Afton Rasco, but a pair of goals less than eight minutes apart by the Wolves (3-1-1) ended up being the deciding factor in the match.
 
Shots were hard to come by in the first 20 minutes as the teams combined for just three attempts, none of which were on target. Bella Campos took aim in the 14th minute but missed wide left on what ended up being the lone shot for the Orediggers in the first half.
 
In the 21st minute, Western Oregon's Olivia Boger came off the bench and put up the first shot on frame of the match, but was denied by Allie Lundgren who corralled the shot before returning the ball to play. Cici Garcia followed with a shot just over three minutes later that was also saved by Lundgren.
 
Kyra DiBenedetto had a near-miss off the frame of goal in the 32nd minute as it remained scoreless while Western Washington pressed their attack. Lexi Luff followed with a low center shot in the 34th minute, but again Lundgren handled it as that shot turned out to be the final one of the period with no change to the scoreboard after 45 minutes.
 
Western Oregon kicked off the second half as it took Mines no time at all to match their shot total from the opening period as Campos rattled the frame with a shot off the far post in a one-on-one opportunity with Isabella Lopez in the 46th minute.
 
Finally, in the 50th minute it was the Orediggers that broke through for the first goal of the game. After WOU was whistled for a foul out near the center circle, Callie Fuhr played the ensuing free kick up the near side of the field to Jolie Jiricek. Jiricek's first play to the center of the field was played back out to her thanks to good pressure by the Wolves defense, but it was the second that set up the goal. A long cross from the edge of the penalty area was headed down by Bella Campos and across the face of goal as Lopez went to ground trying to make a save. The ball continued to roll and came to the feet of Afton Rasco, who finished off the play by deftly tapping the ball inside the near post for her first goal of the season.
 
Mines continued to press their attack and had several looks at doubling their advantage thanks to Campos and Kaitlyn Manalili, the latter of whom had a shot deflect off the crossbar in the 60th minute.
 
Western Oregon came back to tie the game in the 67th minute when Lauren Rose scored off a loose ball out near the top of the penalty area as she rifled a shot through traffic into the upper corner of the near post to level the match at 1-1.
 
The lead changed hands in the 73rd minute when Kaitlin Taylor played a ball from the nearside on what look like an attempted cross, but instead turned into a shot on goal as the arcing trajectory of the pall sailed just outside the reach of Lundgren and carried into the net to make it 2-1 in favor of the home team.
 
A look at a 75th minute equalizer by last week's hero Natalie Mezarina missed just outside the post as the Orediggers tried to mount a comeback in the final 15 minutes, but unfortunately a comeback was not be as Mines dropped the match to the Wolves by a final score of 2-1.
 
NOTABLES
-Rasco's goal was her first of the season and 16th of her career, giving her a goal in each of her four seasons in a Mines uniform
-Campos led the way with five shots and extended her season-opening point streak to four matches with her second assist of the season on the Rasco goal
-Lundgren recorded four saves in 75 minutes in goal
-Annelise Rojo made her collegiate debut in the match, coming off the bench and recording 12 minutes
-Emma Thomas also made her collegiate debut, subbing in as the goalkeeper in the 75th minute and playing the remainder of the match
-Mines was outshot 14-9 overall and 6-2 in shots on target in the match
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers head to Seattle Saturday to take on #20 Seattle Pacific at 12 p.m. PT. in their final non-conference match of the season.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's soccer on X 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.