Grand Junction, Colo. – Colorado Mesa's
Lila Dere netted all four of the Mavericks goals in Sunday's triumph over Regis, en route to a 2-0 weekend and 4-1 mark in conference play. The Mavericks momentum from Friday's win over Colorado School of Mines rode into Sunday as CMU outshot the Rangers 23-7, while taking 15 shots on goal.
Behind another complete game, CMU tallied two goals in each of the halves, conceding just one goal. While the offense handled the ball up front, the Maverick defensive unit did not allow a single shot by the conference's leading scorer, Kelby Kuo.
Of the Mavs total shots, 11 of them came off the boot of Dere, placing nine of those strikes on goal. Just the 12
th player in program history to record a hat-trick, she did one better and now holds the single-game record behind the four-goal performance. The Grand Junction local brings her season total to 11, and is the first player since 2009 to reach double-figures when Daniela Ramirez also collected 11. She also sits tied for fifth in single season goals, and is 8
th overall in career goals- not to mention she's just freshman and has yet to play a full season.
Dere's first goal came just under the 10-minute mark, as
Lexi Newton took over a pass along the sideline taking it towards the goal and shoving a pass into the middle with enough pace to cause a deflection. On the recovery, Newton tapped it over to Dere who had an open lane and took a strike off the left foot with enough height to get past the keeper's glove.
Just eight minutes later, Dere would push the lead to two thanks to quick movement up the field by
Mikayla Eccher and
Sophia Beames. Beames controlled the ball down the far sideline, cutting in and chipping it in towards Dere who slid in and got just enough of her cleat behind it to send it into the twine.
Regis would cut the lead in half just before the break, on a deceptive free kick opportunity. Keegan Storlie was behind the Rangers lone goal, Audrey Teague on the assist.
In the 53
rd-minute, Dere secured the hat-trick,
Carli Dare and Beames in on the help.
As the team's entered the 70
th-minute, a scuffle in the box went the way of the Rangers, setting up a PK. Audrey Teague lined up to take the kick, almost catching
Chloe Dody on the move, however Dody would change directions and get her glove behind it, her only save on the day also saved her team's lead from being cut to one.
As if the hat-trick wasn't enough, Dere added one more towards, etching her name in the record books. A free kick by the Rangers only made it to midfield before the Mavericks took it over, and sent it back into scoring position.
Adessa Correa met up with Dere just outside the box, handing it off between two defenders to set up the fourth goal.
With some key wins under their belt, the Mavericks continue their schedule splitting time at home and on the road next weekend. They will head to Fort Lewis Friday, before return home to take on neighbors Western Colorado on Sunday back at Maverick Field.
