No. 4 Mines Clinches First RMAC Championship

October 27, 2013

No. 4 Mines Defeats Mountaineers, Clinches First RMAC Regular Season Crown

GUNNISON – Meeting Western State for the first time on the pitch Sunday in Gunnison, NSCAA No. 4 Colorado School of Mines slowed the Mountaineers 3-1 at Gateway Field and clinched the program's first ever RMAC regular season championship.

In its ninth season, Mines (15-0-1, 12-0 RMAC) earned the outright conference title with their program-record 12th straight win and a 3-2 home loss by No. 10 Metro State to New Mexico Highlands earlier in the afternoon.

With 36 points, the women are eight points ahead of the Roadrunners in second and nine in front of third-place Fort Lewis (13-3, 9-3 RMAC) with two contests remaining on the docket.

Senior Bree Archuleta and sophomore Rachael Turner each finished with three points, compiling one goal and assist apiece. Turner recorded her fifth goal and conference-leading fourth game-winner at 64:07 on an assist from junior Kendra Bulawa. Archuleta iced the win with 3:06 remaining in regulation, scoring her fifth by way of a Turner pass.

Freshman Jaclyn Knott keyed the Orediggers to a 1-0 lead 5:24 left in the first half off a feed by Archuleta. Knott leads all Mines freshmen with five goals and shares second overall on the team with Turner and Archuleta.

Western State (6-9-1, 3-8-1 RMAC) and Courtnee Urrea broke through in the 67th minute, only the fifth goal given up by Mines in 22 matches.

Knott had a game-high four shots on goal as the women outshot the Mountaineers 19-8 and put 12 shots on target. Archuleta and freshman Cari Smith each had two shots on frame.

Sophomore Jayln Yates (15-0-1) collected the win in goal with five saves.

The Orediggers rank sixth in the Division II archives in longest unbeaten streaks at 30 games and 19th in consecutive conference matches without a loss with 22. Mines is also one away from tying for 18th in the record book for consecutive conference wins with 15.

Back home for the final time of the regular season, the women host Senior Day against Metro State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30 in Golden.