GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- On a breezy day at Community Hospital Unity Field, the Colorado Mesa University women's soccer team earned a 2-0 victory against the Grizzlies of Adams State. The Mavericks improve to 6-1 in RMAC play while the Grizzlies drop to 1-6.
After the game, the Mavs celebrated Senior Day by celebrating the accomplishments of their eight seniors. Those seniors were Keely Wieczorek, Sarah Dunn, Kylie Hoffman, Elle Unflat, Angelina Kazinec, Mari Ige, Jenelle Arenibas and Shelby Lyon.
The party started just 46 seconds into the game when the Mavs began to build up play after a free kick. The speedy Parker Mairs burned past the Grizzlies defense and found a wide-open Ellie Duncan. Duncan buried her shot in the back of the net as they started 1-0 up before the first minute of play.
Ige and Arenibas fired shots of their own seven minutes later, but both chances fell short. The Grizzlies tried to respond with three shots but neither one of the amounted to anything. Duncan tried to add a second goal to her day, but the shot was too high. Olivia Bariao-Arce got a shot off a couple minutes later, but it was saved by the keeper.
Wieczorek saw her first action of the day as she dealt with a Grizzlies chance in the 17th minute. Both teams exchanged shots before the 20th minute, but both chances fell short. The game turned into a defensive battle as both defenses made crucial stops to limit more scoring. However, that all changed when the Mavs earned a penalty just before halftime.
Hoffman stepped up to take it, but her shot was brilliantly saved by the Grizzlies' goalkeeper. The first half ended with the Mavs up 1-0.
The second half began with a flurry of shots from both teams; all of them fell short. Arenibas had two more scoring opportunities, but both of her chances came up empty.
Vanessa Pirrello then had two golden chances in the 77th minute, but both of them were saved by the goalkeeper. However, the Mavs offensive pressure eventually amounted to another great chance.
In the 89th minute, Mairs once again found the ball at feet and this time beat the defense on the left side of the box. She whipped it into the box and found Brooklyn Baird, who scored the Mavs' second goal to put the game to bed.
The Mavs outshot the Grizzlies 16-8 and earned their eighth straight win over Adams State. Duncan scored her sixth goal of the season while Baird scored her third. Mairs added two assists to her day as well. Wieczorek only made one save as her defense made her day between the sticks uneventful.
The Mavs continue their home-stand with a highly anticipated match-up against Colorado School of Mines on Oct. 16. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. inside Community Hospital Unity Field.
