SOCORRO, N.M. — Mines Men's Rugby delivered a statement road performance Saturday, overcoming an early 12–0 deficit to defeat New Mexico Tech 43–17 in a hard-fought rematch between two familiar conference rivals.

The Orediggers started slowly, falling behind 12–0 as New Mexico Tech took advantage early. Mines responded, however, finding its rhythm and building momentum as the match progressed. From there, the Orediggers took control, scoring 43 unanswered points to turn the early deficit into a convincing road victory.

The turnaround was led by a dominant performance from Mines' halfbacks. Flyhalf and captain Bryce Roder powered the Orediggers' attack with three tries earning Man of the Match honors, while scrumhalf Will Skaar provided a consistent threat from the kicking tee. Skaar finished 5-for-6 on conversions and 1-for-2 on penalties, accounting for 13 points.

Mines' other three tries came from Nathaniel Oehler, Owen Hudak and Jedrek Jurjovec. The balanced attack, combined with Skaar's accuracy and the control of the halfbacks, allowed the Orediggers to steadily pull away after the early New Mexico Tech surge.

The victory carries additional significance given the recent history between the two programs. New Mexico Tech ended Mines' postseason run last season with a narrow 15–14 victory in the D3 Elite Eight, adding another chapter to a rivalry that has produced several close elimination matches in recent years.

This time, Mines left little doubt.

After weathering the early pressure, the Orediggers settled into their game and maintained their momentum for the remainder of the contest. The result marked a huge road victory against a familiar conference rival and provided a measure of redemption following last season's one-point postseason defeat.

Mines now returns to Golden with another conference victory and plenty of momentum after a road performance that showcased the team's ability to respond to adversity, control the match and finish strong.

On to the next.