GOLDEN, Colo. – The #12 Colorado School of Mines women's soccer team came out on the wrong end of the result in their opening night matchup with Rollins by a score of 2-1 to open the new season. All three goals in the match came in the final 32 minutes as the Tars (1-0-0) scored in the 58th and 83rd minutes while
Natalie Mezarina scored her second career goal for the Orediggers (0-1-0) in the 74th minute.
The Tars set a physical tone early in the match, with several fouls called and more battles on the ball resulting in a play on from the referee. Mines had plenty of chances to get on the board first thanks to 14 first half shots.
Bella Campos nearly scored on a free kick in the 27th minute as her shot banged off the cross bar as the first of five shots by the Orediggers in a 62-second span as they came up empty. Chances kept coming for Mines as the half wound to a close, but despite the overwhelming advantage on the shot chart, the action remained scoreless after 45 minutes.
The pace of the action slowed some as play resumed in the second half. Rollins scored first in the 58th minute on a free kick from Zahira Freeman from in front of the Tars bench as Gracie DiStefano cleaned things up on the back end for the opening goal of the season. After a pair of saves by Tars keeper Lauren Mehos on two set piece header attempts by
Natalie Rouse,
Natalie Mezarina leveled the score at 1-1 as she corralled a loose ball atop the penalty area and fired a strike through traffic to the back post for the score.
Less than 10 minutes later, Rollins scored and retook the lead for good as once again DiStefano found the net with a long-range volley to the near post past a diving try from
Brekyn Davenport-Murrish to go back in front 2-1. The final six minutes of the game saw Rollins do their best to kill time and play keep away from the Orediggers. After finally breaking out of the corner in their defensive third, Mines managed one last run with time winding down as a last-second shot by
Bella Campos was snared by Mehos to conclude the action.
NOTABLES
-Mines outshot Rollins 23-7 overall and 8-3 in shots in goal in the match
-Campos led all players with eight shots
-Mezarina's goal was the second of her career and first since Sept. 10 of last season against Western Washington
-Davenport-Murrish made one save in goal in her collegiate debut
-Five Orediggers, Davenport-Murrish,
Bella Torres,
Lucy Hays,
Skyla Yu and
Haliya Jabel made their collegiate debuts in the match
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Taylor Johnson-Balding made her Stermole Stadium debut in the match and recorded a shot in 72 minutes in her return to play after last appearing against Lubbock Christian on Sept. 6 of last season
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Gabby Herfindahl also made her Mines debut, logging 18 minutes off the bench
UP NEXT
Mines looks to rebound Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. against Western Oregon.
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.
