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Jake Ross - UCCS Athletics

PREVIEW | Mountain Lions Set to Host NMHU For Senior Night and Travel to ASU on Sunday

10/20/2021 11:39:00 AM

By: Eric Mason - Sports Information Director
This Week's Matchup
UCCS Women's Soccer is slated for one home match and one away match this week as the Mountain Lions host New Mexico Highlands University on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 4:30 p.m. for Senior Night then hit the road to Alamosa, Colo. for a 1 p.m. match against Adams State University on Sunday, Oct. 24.
 
Game Coverage
Live Stream 
Live Stats vs. NMHU 
Live Stats at ASU 
 
 
Last Time Out
  • The Mountain Lions dropped a tough one on Sunday as UCCS was on the losing end of a 2-1 result against Colorado School of Mines.
  • It turned out to be a defense heavy matchup through a scoreless first half and majority of the second half but that quickly changed late in the game as all three scores came in the last 13 minutes of the match.
  • CSM found openings in the 77th and 78th minute to jump out to a 2-0 lead but the Mountain Lions roared back in 84th minute to cut the deficit in half as a double assist score from Tori Maydew and Jadyn LeDoux to Sydney Lasater put UCCS on the board. But time was against the Mountain Lions as CSM held on to the 2-1 win.
  • UCCS finished the match with the advantage in shots (15-14), shots on goal (8-6), and corner kicks (8-5).
 
RMAC Records/Standings
  • The Mountain Lions (10-3, 5-2 RMAC) are currently fifth in the RMAC Standings with 15 conference points.
  • Colorado School of Mines (9-2-3, 6-1-1 RMAC) sits atop the RMAC Standings at 19 points with Colorado Mesa University (9-2, 6-1 RMAC) and Regis University (9-4, 6-2 RMAC) both at 18 conference points
  • In fourth place is Colorado State University Pueblo (6-5-1, 5-1-1 RMAC) with 16 conference points.
 
National/Regional Rankings
  • The Mountain Lions slide out of the top-25 this week as they receive votes in United Soccer Coaches' seventh national ranking poll.
  • From the RMAC, Colorado Mesa also receives votes with Colorado School of Mines moving up to No. 18 in the country.
  • The first of three weekly NCAA Regional Rankings will begin Tuesday, Oct. 26.
 
The Series
  • Thursday will serve as the 18th all-time match against NMHU with UCCS holding an 11-6 record. The Mountain Lions have had the Cowgirls' number since 2015 by carrying a six-game win streak that is backed by 24 goals and just four goals given up.
  • UCCS also holds the advantage in all-time matchups against Adams State with a 9-4-3 over all record. The last four matches have been in favor of the Mountain Lions with the team outscoring the Grizzlies, 20-3.
 
Scouting Colorado New Mexico Highlands
  • NMHU (1-8, 1-6 RMAC) rides into Thursday with one win under their belt as the Cowgirls have allowed three or more goals in eight of their nine matches this season, including three matches with five or more.
  • The Cowgirls' offense is led by freshman Nitza Rodriguez and junior Valerie Baca who have netted seven of the teams nine goals. Rodriguez leads the team with four goals and eight points with Baca recording three goals for six points on the year.
  • Fifth year goalkeeper Karina Vega has started in eight of the nine matches for NMHU and holds a 4.37 GAA and .576 save percentage. Senior Autumn Stewart started in NMHU's last match on Sunday against Black Hills State where she allowed four goals and made seven saves in the loss.
 
Scouting Colorado Adams State
  • Adams State (1-8-2, 0-5-2 RMAC) has been off to a slow start this season with the Grizzlies scoring a conference low eight goals while allowing the RMAC's second highest average of 3.00 goals allowed per game.
  • ASU has allowed two goals or more in eight of their 11 matches, including six goals given up in the 6-0 loss to MSU Denver and two goals in the 2-2 draw against Black Hills State last week.
  • Junior forward Carena Harrison has been the clear-cut offensive leader for ASU by leading the team in points (seven), goals (three), shots (19) and shots on goal (12) and posting an impressive .632 SOG percentage.
  • Senior defender Jayne Schiess and junior midfielder Sydney Wiedemann anchor the Grizzly defense with 945 and 934 minutes, respectively.
  • Before hosting UCCS on Sunday, ASU will visit CSU Pueblo for a 3 p.m. match on Friday, Oct. 22.
 
Hot Takes
  • UCCS' last matchup against Adams State came earlier this year in the RMAC Quarterfinal where Amelia Junge tied the program's single game record for assists with three.
  • At an average 2.85 goals per game, the UCCS scoring offense ranks second in the conference, fourth in the region, and 12th in the nation.
  • The Mountain Lions are doubling their opponent's shots this season with a 17.5 shots per game average as they've registered six or more shots on goal in 10 of their last 13 matches.
  • The offense has continued to force pressure on opposing defenses by holding the advantage in corner kicks 61-37. UCCS tied their season high in corners with eight last Sunday against the Orediggers.
  • On a national scale, the Mountain Lions add 37 goals and 26 assists to total 96 points on the season, ranking them nationally in total assists (10th), total goals (13th) and total points (12th).
  • Tarah Patterson continues to pace UCCS in points (17) and assists (seven) as she ranks second in the conference and ninth in the nation for total assists.
  • Tori Maydew has the second most points on the team with 11 after adding her fourth assist on Sunday in combination with her four goals on the year.
  • Katie Puchino, Zoe Sims, Makayla Merlo, and Ella Fischer have been work horses for the Mountain Lions as they each have logged over 950 minutes. Puchino has recorded full time in six matches, including five of the last six matches.
  • UCCS has posted four or more points in eight consecutive matches, including a season high 12 points in three of those matches.
  • The Mountain Lions defense is tied for the second most shutouts in the conference with five.
  • Five Mountain Lions have double-digit points this season and account for 21 of the team's 36 goals.
  • Head Coach J. B. Belzer has combined for over 60 wins against Adams State (27-2-2 record) and New Mexico Highlands (36-3-1 record).
  • The Mountain Lions will honor nine student-athletes on Senior Night, following the conclusion of Thursday's match against NMHU:
 
Weather
  • Thursday's forecast calls for partly to mostly cloudy and a high of 68 degrees. Winds are predicted to reach as high as 10 miles-per-hour with the temperature dropping down to 39 degrees around 7 p.m.
  • Sunday's forecast will have mostly sunny skies with a high of 67 degrees around game time. Fairly gusty wins are predicted to reach 10-20 miles-per-hour.
 
UCCS Under Head Coach J. B. Belzer
  • Head coach J. B. Belzer enters his second season at the helm for UCCS and 26th total season as a Division II head coach after spending 24 seasons at Regis University.
  • Belzer holds a 334-150-37 record for the seventh most wins in NCAA Division II Women's Soccer history.
  • Last season Belzer received his seventh career RMAC Coach of the Year honor as he coached six All-RMAC selections, including Tarah Patterson who was voted RMAC Player of the Year and RMAC Academic Co-Player of the Year.
 
Upcoming Games
  • UCCS Women's Soccer will travel to the Denver Metro area next week as the Mountain Lions visit Regis University on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m. and Colorado Christian University on Sunday, Oct. 31 at 2:30 p.m.
 
SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions 
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
 
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 16 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics. 
 
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