GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colorado Mesa suffered its first home loss of the 2023 season Friday night, losing 4-0 to No. 14 Colorado School of Mines at Community Hospital Unity Field.
The fourth-ranked Mavericks entered the game one point behind Mines in the RMAC standings and now fall to four points back of the Orediggers with two CMU games left to play. Colorado Mesa is in a three-way tie for second with Regis, who the Mavs play on Sunday, and UCCS, who plays both tomorrow night and Sunday.
Colorado School of Mines took the lead off a set piece in the 33
rd minute as the game was even through most of the early going. The Orediggers grew progressively dominant as the match went on and piled on late in the second half, scoring in the 74
th, 82
nd and 90
th minutes.
Keely Wieczorek matched a career high with five saves, the third time she has reached that total in her freshman season. She was tested early, making three saves in the match's opening 12 minutes, then made two highlight-reel stops in the second half which, at the time, kept the score 1-0.
The Orediggers only had a narrow 20-18 edge in total shots but placed nine shots on goal compared to four by the Mavericks. Most of CMU's attempts on target came late and from distance as the Mavs searched for a way past Mines's vaunted back line.
Mines got their opening goal on a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Ava Harman delivered the ball into Natalie Rouse, who headed home from point-blank range into the right side netting for her sixth goal of the season.
Reese McDermott and Bella Campos each scored in the second half for Mines. McDermott is now the RMAC leader in points (25), shots (71) and shots on goal (33) while Campos took over the RMAC's goalscoring lead with her 11
th goal of the season. Cloey Seltzer capped the night for Mines with an impressive solo goal into the top corner with just 14 seconds left in the match.
Abby Fotheringham had five shots for CMU, with one shot on goal.
Kylie Wells had three shots for the Mavericks.
The Mavs have now lost two matches in a row after being unbeaten through their first 13 games of 2023. The challenging slate of games to end the season continues with a fully-rested Regis coming to Grand Junction having not played since last Sunday. Kickoff is currently slated for 2:30 p.m.
