GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The number two team in the country put on yet another dominating performance on Friday afternoon as the University of Colorado Colorado Springs downed Western Colorado University 5-0 inside Colorado Mesa University's Walker Field.
No. 2 UCCS (7-0-0, 3-0-0) records their fourth shutout of the season as the Mountain Lions completely shut down the Mountaineers (0-7-0, 0-3-0) offense to no shots on goal, as UCCS out-shot WCU 30-2 in the match. The Mountain Lions showcased their depth on both sides of the ball as 12 different Mountain Lions recorded a shot, as 11 out of the 12 went on to register a shot on goal. Freshman
Kaitlin Hinkle tacked on to her goal and point count as she netted two goals to bring her season count to a team leading 12 points, and eight goals on the season. Hinkle accounted for a perfect SOG% as all three of her shots were on frame, as freshman
Tanner Sanders led the team with five shots on the day while also tallying a goal and an assist.
Friday's one-sided affair started with four Mountain Lion shots in the first two minutes as UCCS'
Amelia Junge later drew first blood with a goal in the 15
th minute to grab a 1-0 lead. With UCCS still landing shots on frame, senior defender
Aleesa Muir rotated up from the backline to bag her first goal of the season in the 22
nd minute to make it a quick 2-0 UCCS lead. Just five minutes later, Sanders found Hinkle for the third score of the game as UCCS took a 3-0 lead in the 27
th minute.
UCCS ended the first half with a 17-1 shot advantage as the Mountain Lions allowed a season low for opponent's shots in a half, while making it the third time this season that UCCS has not given up a single shot on goal in the first half.
For the closing 45 minutes, the scoring resumed with Sanders powering her way to a goal in the 63
rd minute to increase the Mountain Lion lead to 4-0. Then in the 82
nd minute, the UCCS freshman continued to have chemistry as
Gabriella Lancaster connected with Hinkle for her second score of the game to bring the match to a final score of 5-0.
UCCS sophomore goalkeepers Molle Swift and
Alexis Walker teamed up with a UCCS backline to only allow just one shot in each half.
The Mountain Lions will now shift their focus to Sunday as they prepare to face Colorado Mesa University inside Walker Field for a 1:30 p.m. match-up.