Colorado School of Mines Club Esports traveled to Albuquerque, N.M., over the weekend for the UNM Esports Invitational, where Rocket League JV competed in a two-day LAN tournament hosted by the University of New Mexico on Oct. 24-25.

The Orediggers faced a challenging field of opponents throughout the weekend, finishing with a 1-5 series record and a 3-14 individual-game record. Despite a difficult opening day, Mines bounced back Sunday to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Western Colorado University.

Saturday: Orediggers Face Challenging Group Stage

Mines opened tournament competition Saturday, Oct. 24, with three best-of-three series against New Mexico Tech, Western Colorado and the University of New Mexico JV.

The Orediggers experienced a delayed start to their tournament schedule, with their first matchup against New Mexico Tech taking place after the lunch break.

Mines struggled to establish its rhythm in the opening series, allowing New Mexico Tech to take control and secure a 2-0 victory.

Following another extended break, the Orediggers returned to competition against Western Colorado.

The opening game proved difficult for Mines, which struggled to generate momentum against the Mountaineers. However, the second game developed into a much closer contest, with both teams battling back and forth until the final seconds.

Despite the improved performance, Western Colorado secured the second game to complete a 2-0 series victory.

Mines closed out Saturday's group stage against the host University of New Mexico JV team.

The Orediggers continued searching for consistency but were unable to overcome the Lobos, falling 2-0 to finish the opening day.

The results left Mines with an 0-3 series record and an 0-6 individual-game record heading into Sunday's competition.

Sunday: Mines Shows Improvement Against New Mexico Tech

Mines returned to competition Sunday, Oct. 25, looking to rebound from Saturday's difficult group stage.

John Bradley, Adam Naamani and Ty Keiser represented the Orediggers throughout the second day of competition.

The Orediggers opened Sunday with a rematch against New Mexico Tech, hoping to improve on their opening-day performance.

Mines demonstrated noticeable progress, scoring at least one goal in each game and producing several competitive contests.

Although the Orediggers played more consistently than they had Saturday, New Mexico Tech ultimately secured a 3-0 series victory.

Despite the loss, the matchup demonstrated Mines' ability to make adjustments and improve against an opponent it had faced just one day earlier.

Orediggers Earn Revenge Victory Over Western Colorado

The highlight of the weekend came in Mines' second matchup Sunday, when the Orediggers faced Western Colorado in another rematch from Saturday.

After falling 2-0 to the Mountaineers during group play, Mines entered the series determined to reverse the result.

The matchup quickly developed into a closely contested battle, with both teams exchanging victories throughout the series.

Keiser delivered one of the weekend's standout plays, connecting on an impressive double-tap goal to provide a spark for the Orediggers.

Neither team could establish a decisive advantage, forcing the series to a fifth and final game.

Mines rose to the occasion, securing a 3-2 victory to earn its first series win of the tournament.

The result marked an impressive turnaround for the Orediggers, who overcame their opening-day struggles to defeat an opponent that had swept them just one day earlier.

Texas Tech JV Ends Mines' Tournament Run

Following its victory over Western Colorado, Mines looked to carry its momentum into its final matchup against Texas Tech JV.

However, the Orediggers encountered one of the tournament's strongest teams.

Texas Tech established control early and maintained its advantage throughout the series, limiting Mines' offensive opportunities.

The Red Raiders ultimately secured a 3-0 sweep to end the Orediggers' tournament run.

Texas Tech JV went on to win the tournament, demonstrating the level of competition Mines faced in its final matchup.

Mines Gains Valuable Experience in Albuquerque

Mines Rocket League JV concluded the UNM Esports Invitational with a 1-5 series record, winning three individual games across six matchups.

Although the Orediggers experienced a difficult opening day, Sunday's competition demonstrated meaningful improvement.

Mines played more competitively against New Mexico Tech before earning a hard-fought five-game victory over Western Colorado, highlighted by Keiser's double-tap goal.

The weekend provided the Orediggers with valuable experience competing in a live LAN environment, where communication, teamwork and the ability to adapt under pressure play important roles.

With six tournament series completed and a memorable victory over Western Colorado, Mines returns to Golden with additional competitive experience and lessons to carry into future events.