GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colorado Mesa did enough to maintain their perfect run, surviving a late scare from the visitors to win 2-1 over Colorado Christian. The Mavericks remain undefeated at 9-0 and improve to 4-0 in the RMAC.

Sauvelyne Randel scored her eighth goal of the season by getting her own rebound off a penalty kick, then got her second assist of the year by finding Mira Houck for a screaming goal from outside the box. Despite a 31-6 shots advantage for the Mavs, an 86^th minute goal from Ava Dinverno brought the Cougars within one for the final few minutes as CCU goalkeeper Alana Lopp made 10 saves.  

Kylie Wells had a team-high six of those 31 shots, placing three of them on target. Randel finished with five total shots and three shots on goal. Houck, Mikayla Eccher and Abby Fotheringham recorded four shots apiece.

Unintimidated by a CMU team that had outscored opponents 27-2 entering the match, Colorado Christian was extremely unlucky to not be ahead at halftime. The Cougars hit the crossbar twice in the first half, including just 66 seconds into the match on a strike from Capri Dewing. Jessie Sims hit the underside of the crossbar at the 16-minute mark, but the ball ricocheted away from the net.

The Mavericks shot early and often in the first half, racking up 16 shot attempts before halftime, and they were not afraid to try from long range. Kylie Wells was a matchup nightmare down the left wing for CCU in the early going, taking five shots in the match's first 28 minutes. Tatum Pfalmer also made an immediate impact, coming on as a substitute in the 36^th minute and collecting two shots with a shot on goal in her first two minutes on the pitch.

Isabel Schauber drew a foul in the box in the 40^th minute to give Colorado Mesa a spot kick. Randel stepped up to take the penalty, but Lopp made an impressive lunging stop of Randel's attempt. Unfortunately for the Cougars, the rebound went directly back to Randel, who was able to put the ball in the empty net on her second try to put the Mavs up 1-0.

Randel's vision was key in CMU's second goal, scored in the 50^th minute. Randel possessed the ball in the box with her back to goal and alertly toe-poked a ball into a pocket of space just outside the 18-yard line. Coming forward from defensive midfield, Houck rushed onto the ball and hit it first time, a rocket into the top right corner for the redshirt junior's second goal as in many games.

Colorado Mesa seemed to be well in control of the match, but a sharp counterattack from CCU kept things interesting. Capri Dewing, who leads the RMAC in attempted shots, drew plenty of attention but smartly found an open Ava Dinverno rushing down the left side. The sophomore forward beat Maverick goalkeeper Keely Wieczorek with a low shot into the bottom left corner, and suddenly it was 2-1 with four minutes left to play.

Lopp shined in goal for the Cougars, making five saves in each half to keep the CMU offense at bay. The Maverick defense locked down after allowing just their third goal of the season, as CCU was unable to tally another shot attempt in the match's final minutes after scoring their goal.

The No. 4 Mavericks will face a team picked above them in the RMAC Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time when CMU hosts MSU Denver on Sunday. The 9-0 were picked sixth in preseason, while the Roadrunners were picked fifth and have a 4-4-3 record.