LUBBOCK, Texas – Closing out the first weekend of the season Saturday night, the fourth-ranked Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team posted their first multi-goal performance of the year with a 3-1 win over Lubbock Christian. Natalie Rouse, who missed most of 2024 to injury and playing in just her second game back, netted the game winner for the in the waning moments of the opening half. Combined with two more goals from Bella Campos, as the Orediggers' (2-0-0) attack was just too much for the Lady Chaps (0-1-0) to overcome.
 
After taking well over and hour of game action to score on opening night, the Orediggers wasted little time getting on the board Saturday as just 36 seconds into the action, Bella Campos scored her second goal in as many matches to begin the campaign, this time teaming up with Kaitlyn Manalili and Afton Rasco to get through the LCU defense and strike first.
 
Things settled in for the next 12 minutes with not much taking place aside from a slew of throw ins. Lindsay Jeans and Campos managed to press home the Oredigger attack again starting in the 13th minute, putting up four more shots but not finding any success against the Lady Chap defense.
 
Lubbock Christian mounted a response in the 21st minute as Lexi De La Cruz snuck a shot past Allie Lundgren with help from Journey Curs shortly after a corner kick to draw back even at 1-1.
 
With the score reset, Mines looked to regain the lead as Campos and Afton Rasco took aim shortly after the restart, but saw their shots miss or be saved by Emma Wright. Jordan Bowermaster had a look as well shortly after checking into the match, but Wright seemingly put the opening-minute goal out of mind as she recorded a second save.
 
As the half wound down, it looked like things would remain level heading into the intermission until the final six seconds of the opening period. Pressing home their attack, the Orediggers earned a corner kick following a pair of throws. With the seconds ticking down, Manalili put the ball back in play and found Natalie Rouse inside the box as she put a shot past Wright to regain the lead 2-1.
 
Looking to extend their lead as action resumed in the second half, Mines wasted little time making it a 3-1 contest as Rasco and Campos worked together for the second time in the 50th minute of action for the junior's second goal of the evening.
 
Sydney Smith and Curs both had looks for LCU to try and get back within a goal around the 56th minute, but failed to find the net as Lundgren logged her only save of the night on the first shot before the second missed its mark wide. Caelan DeBolt looked to get in on the scoring for Mines in the 68th minute, but was turned away by Wright's fourth save of the evening.
 
No changes to the score took place for the remainder of the action as both Lundgren and Wright registered saves on the final two shots on target for the night as the Orediggers closed opening weekend with a 3-1 win.
 
NOTABLES
-Campos' goal to start the match just 36 seconds in was the second-fastest goal to open a contest in program history, just one second behind Reese McDermott's 35 second score against UCCS in the 2022 NCAA Tournament; it is the fastest goal to begin a regular season match in program history, surpassing the previous mark of 49 seconds held by McDermott against Westminster in 2022 and Giselle Sawaged in 2019 against Colorado Christian
-With her second half goal in the 50th minute, Campos recorded her first multi-goal performance of 2025 and fifth of her career after recording three as a freshman in 2023 and one last fall
-Dating back to October 13 of last season, Campos has now scored a goal in 11 of her last 14 matches played; in her career, now has 33 goals and 77 points
-Rouse's goal was the eighth of her career as she has now scored in each of her three seasons in a Mines uniform; all eight of her goals have come by way of set pieces
-Rouse has also now scored in the second match of the season for the third consecutive year (Chico State in 2023 and 2024); her goal at CSU last fall was also in the closing seconds of the opening half, coming four seconds later at 44:58 and also immediately off a corner kick
-Jeans, playing in her 11th career match, recorded the first points of her career with the assist on the opening goal of the evening
-Manalili logged her first points of the season with assists on Campos' first score of the night as well as the Rouse goal, giving her 11in her career and at least one assist in each of her four seasons in Golden as she now has 17 career points (the second assist on the first goal of the match was originally and incorrectly assigned to Lindsay Jeans)
-Rasco was credited with two assists on the night, bringing her career tally to 10 as she has recorded two or more assists now in each of her four seasons in Golden
-Lundgren closed the night with two saves in goal
-Jeans and Anna Gessner each made their first career starts Saturday night
-The Orediggers outshot LCU 19-11 and 8-3 in shots on goal
-Mines improves to 2-0-0 all-time against LCU
 
UP NEXT
The Orediggers return home for a single contest next week as they make their 2025 home debut Wednesday September 10 at 7 p.m. against Western Washington.
 
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.