GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – It was a near carbon copy of the 2025 RMAC Women's Soccer Championship Friday night at Community Hospital Unity Field, but this time the results were reversed a second half penalty kick saw the Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team on the other end of a 1-0 against Colorado Mesa. A scoreless first half was followed by a single goal in the second half, as the Orediggers (8-3-3, 4-2-2) ceded a penalty to the Mavericks (9-3-1, 6-1-0) that proved to be the difference in the match.
The first half of action came and went with no change to the scoreboard. Colorado Mesa outshot Mines 5-1 in the half, with two shots on goal.
Keira Garcia made saves on both attempts by Katelyn Romano in the final minutes of the period, while
Lindsay Jeans accounted for the only shot of the half by the Orediggers in the 19th minute.
CMU came out the aggressors in the second half, and was rewarded in the form of a penalty kick in the 51st minute. Trying to play a deflection off a Maverick corner kick,
Natalie Rouse was whistled for a penalty as she made contact with Jenelle Arenibas. The latter hitting the deck as the two vied for the ball, despite Rouse looking to have the advantage on the play. Ella Speerschneider stepped up to take the PK and while Garcia got it right trying to save it on the near post, the shot just snuck past her reach and in for the goal.
The rest of the match saw the Orediggers trying to play catchup against a stingy defensive effort by Colorado Mesa. The Mavericks continued to give Mines fits whenever they tried to build anything offensively, all while continuing to apply their own pressure on offense.
Bella Campos and
Caelan DeBolt each had a look at goal in the second half, but both shots were saved by Keely Wieczorek.
Lucy Hays had a near mess following a header by Rouse off a
Finley Ewald corner kick, but it just went wide of the near post.
Sam Forde rattled the crossbar with a long-range volley in the 87th minute as one of the last, best chances for Mines as time expired soon after on the 1-0 result for the Mavericks.
NOTABLES
-Garcia recorded three saves in goal
-Campos led Mines with two shots while DeBolt, Forde, Guerrero, Jeans and Hays all had one
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Madisen Powers played a season-high 15 minutes off the bench
-Last season in the RMAC Tournament championship, the Orediggers scored the go-ahead goal on a PK at 51:38 in the second half; Friday night Mavericks scored the go-ahead goal on a PK at 50:02 in the second half
-Mines was held to a season-low seven shots in the match, putting just three on frame
-With other results around the league Friday night, Mines is now tied for sixth in the conference standings with Westminster with matching records of 4-2-2 and 14 points; the Griffins posted a 2-1 win over CSU Pueblo ahead of action with Mines Sunday
UP NEXT
The Orediggers close out the four-match road trip Sunday afternoon when they head to Salt Lake City to take on Westminster at 12 p.m.
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, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.
