The Mavericks came into Friday night's game against New Mexico Highlands looking for better positioning in the RMAC standings as postseason play is just weeks away. After both teams got a goal late in regulation, neither team could score in the overtime periods and the Mavs were able to gain a point in the standings as the two teams tied, 1-1.

                “We are still in a very nice position to make it in the RMAC playoffs,” coach Erin Sharpe said. “We still have that shot of getting a top four seed, so we could host a playoff game. But I think we will finish just fine.”

                The Mavericks came out shooting early as Veronica Rodriguez had a shot that hit the top post just four minutes into the game. The Mavs would only get a couple more opportunities in the first half as each team had two shots on goal. Mavs goalkeeper Sarah Schnetzler made both saves on the two shots she faced. Rodriguez would leave the game with an apparent back injury as she hit the ground hard midway through the half.

                “The game was just not managed well,” Sharpe said. “I am in no way making any excuses, but we lost maybe four of our starters because of injuries.”

                Much of the second half went the same, until the 77^th minute when Tayler Franklin scored on a cross pass from Darion Wiegert to put the Mavs up 1-0. The defense tried to hold on, but a Maverick own goal with under three minutes in the game tied the game and sent the teams into overtime. The game had gotten very physical by then as a total of five yellow cards were handed out to the two teams.

                “We all just get hyped up when it's physical,” Lauren Brouse said. “We raise the bar because we know they are coming at us, so we just throw it right back at them.”

                With only a couple shots in the first overtime, the two teams went into the second overtime tied at one. The second overtime didn't see any scoring opportunities as the game ended in a 1-1 tie. The Cowgirls had seven total shots on goal for the game as the Mavs could only get five. Of the 20 total shots by the Cowgirls,  All-Region player Julissa Rodriguez took 14 of the shots, with only five of those on goal.  With the physical play, there was a combined 36 fouls called, 19 of them going against the Mavs.

                The tie gives Colorado Mesa a point in the standings, which keeps them in sixth place in the conference. With them being a full eight points ahead of the seventh place University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, a win this Sunday will put them in the playoffs.

                “All three teams left are beatable,” Brouse said. “I definitely think we can win them all, especially with them being at home.”

                The Mavs will host CSU-Pueblo Sunday at 1 before finishing the regular season next weekend against Colorado Christian and UCCS. Both of those games will be at Walker Field.

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