GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- In a rematch of last season's RMAC championship, the Colorado Mesa University women's soccer team prevailed over the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers 1-0 for the first time since 2023.
With this win, the Mavericks clinched a berth into the RMAC Tournament for the sixth straight season and move up to second in the RMAC. The Orediggers drop to 4-2-2 in conference play.
Both teams took a while to get anything going on offense with the first shot coming in the 16th minute from Angelina Kazinec, but her chance missed the left goalpost.
The Orediggers responded two minutes later, but their shot missed the right post. Parker Mairs had her scoring chance fall short as well.
Both defenses dominated throughout the half as they stuffed every scoring opportunity the offenses had.
The first goalkeeper action did not happen until the 38th minute when Katelyn Romano's chance was dealt with by the goalkeeper. Romano had another shot in the waning seconds of the first half, but it fell short as well.
The second half saw the Mavs generate offense as Olivia Barrett and Olivia Bariao-Arce fired shots less than five minutes in, but both were dealt with by the Orediggers.
However, in the 50th minute, the Mavs earned a penalty after a careless foul in the box. Ella Speerschneider stepped up to take the shot and buried it to put the Mavs on top.
Keely Wieczorek got her first action of the game as she made a great save in the 57th minute.
The Mavs' defense stifled any scoring chances the Orediggers had, with Wieczorek making another save in the 87th minute to hold the Orediggers scoreless.
The Mavs outshot the Orediggers 10-7 and put up their ninth shutout of the season. Speerschneider scored the first goal of her collegiate career while Romano and Kazinec led the team in shots with two.
Wieczorek picked up her 43rd career shutout, one away from tying the RMAC record for career shutouts. She finished her evening with three saves.
The Mavs wrap up their home stand with a Sunday matinee match against CSU Pueblo. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. inside Community Hospital Unity Field.
