GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – For the third time this season, The Colorado Mesa (9-1, 5-0 RMAC) defeated the Adams State Grizzlies in the first semifinal of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament by a score of 22-5.

The win advances the team to their fifth RMAC tournament final and will face off with Westminster in the championship, after the Griffins defeated CSU Pueblo in the second semifinal of the day.. It also heeds the team's ninth straight win.

As a team, the Mavericks took a total of 66 shots, recording over 20 in the second and third periods. They also scooped up 55 ground balls, were 24-of-28 in faceoffs and had 19 successful clears.

Trent Pernell finished the day with four goals to lead the team, while Logan Haar and Jackson Palmer registered hat tricks in the victory. Daniel McHale-McFarlin recorded his first assist hat trick to lead the team, with a couple other reserves getting minutes and getting in on the scoring efforts.

Nolan Hoffman picked up his sixth win defending the net, bagging a save. Each of the three other goalkeepers got in a period, with Hans Plock picking up four saves in the fourth period.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Adams State was the first to draw blood, getting past Hoffman in the 12^th minute, giving the Mavericks a wake-up call. A couple minutes later Jake Keyes tied it up, with assistance from Kyle O'Brien.

After a back and forth affair in the opening minutes, CMU went on to score 10 unanswered goals to go up by 12. ASU netted a goal in the final minute but trailed 14-3.

The Grizzlies opened the third quarter converting on a man-up opportunity, but was answered by two goals from Haar in the same minute. ASU would open the period with a goal, but the remainder of the third was all CMU, who scored six goals in that period. 

ASU made the most of another man-up opportunity in the fourth quarter but would be the final goal for the afternoon.

Haar and Dalton Goodale added two more goals in the fourth, rounding out the Mavs scoring.

UP NEXT
For the third time this season, the Mavericks will grapple with the Griffins of Westminster in tomorrow's RMAC Championship. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.