COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's soccer team eliminated Colorado State University-Pueblo from the RMAC Tournament on Friday as the Mountain Lions handed the ThunderWolves a 5-0 blowout loss in the first round of RMAC Quarterfinals at Mountain Lion Stadium.
UCCS (18-0-0, 13-0-0 RMAC) came out on the attack and breezed by the ThunderWolves (6-10-2, 5-6-2) as the Mountain Lions outshot 26-9 while tripling CSU-P's shots on goal 12-4. Nine different Mountain Lions landed a shot on frame with freshman
Kaitlin Hinkle leading the way with a team high four shots. Sophomore
Savannah Mills had herself a game as she netted two in the contest with junior
Kelsey Lanham hitting the game-winning goal early in the match.
Friday's match began in favor of CSU-P early on as the ThunderWolves attacked early by recording two shots in the first 90 seconds with UCCS keeper
Mollee Swift putting her agility on display by claiming a save in that span. The quick spurt of CSU-P offense was short lived as the Mountain Lions countered with their number one scoring offense in the region by notching the first score of the game in the 6
th minute. A
Fabiola Estrada shot was blocked near the top of the box where Lanaham gathered and created separation to bury the back of the net from 15 yards out for the 1-0 UCCS lead.
The first half scoring continued for UCCS as senior
Aleesa Muir tallied her fourth assist of the season by leading Mills with a through ball where she finished for the 2-0 UCCS advantage.
In the second half, CSU-P came out on the attack right out of the gate once again where the ThunderWolves located a shot near the top of the frame as an extended Swift deflected the ball for the save to maintain the 2-0 lead. UCCS then flipped the field on the ThunderWolves in the 50
th minute where
Shanade Hopcroft provided a cross from the left side for a positioned
Tanner Sanders who slipped the ball inside the near post for an extended 3-0 Mountain Lion lead. Shortly after in the 52
nd minute, freshman
Nicolette Sandoval got in on the postseason action by connecting with Mills for the assist as the speedy sophomore put a shot inside the far post to increase their lead.
Towards the tail end of the match,
Amelia Junge put the icing on the cake as she received a pass from
Kendall Stevenson to register the fifth Mountain Lion goal in the 87
th minute.
With their 10
th shutout victory, the number one team in the country advances to the RMAC Semifinal where they will match-up against Westminster College for a 12 p.m. match on Sunday, Nov. 10 inside Mountain Lion Stadium.
The first 100 UCCS Students will receive FREE admission into Sunday's semifinal match, with the proof of UCCS I.D.
