This Week's Matchup
UCCS Women's Soccer begins postseason play on Sunday, Nov. 7 at 2:30 p.m. as they host No. 7 seed Metropolitan State University of Denver for the RMAC Quarterfinal.
 
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Last Time Out

• The Mountain Lions claimed their third consecutive RMAC Regular Season championship on Wednesday night after topping Colorado State University Pueblo at a final score of 4-2. Forward Kaitlin Hinkle registered her second brace of the season as she scored two of UCCS' three first half goals. The ThunderWolves were outshot 27-9 in the contest with the Mountain Lions notching their fifth consecutive win.

RMAC Records/Standings

• The Mountain Lions (15-3, 10-2 RMAC) finished the regular season as co-regular season champions with Colorado Mesa University (13-3, 10-2 RMAC). CMU enters the RMAC Tournament with the No. 1 seed as UCCS enters as the No. 2 seed.
• As the No. 2 seed, the Mountain Lions will host No. 7 seed Metropolitan State University of Denver (10-5-2, 7-5 RMAC) with No. 3 seed Colorado School of Mines set to host No. 6 seed Westminster College.
• On the opposite side of the bracket, No. 1 seed CMU plays host to No. 8 seed Fort Lewis College in Grand Junction. Colo. as No. 4 seed Regis University welcomes No. 5 seed Colorado State University Pueblo in Denver, Colo.

National/Regional Rankings

• The Mountain Lions move back into the top-10 in United Soccer Coaches' Top-25 National Poll after receiving the No. 10 ranking in Division II.
• From the RMAC, Colorado Mesa received votes for the third consecutive week while Colorado School of Mines improves to No. 20 in the country.
• In NCAA's second week of regional rankings, the Mountain Lions were selected No. 4 in the South Central Region.
• No. 5 Dallas Baptist University sits atop the South Central Region with No. 20 Colorado School of Mines and Colorado Mesa University receiving the second and third ranking in the region, respectively.

The Series

• After notching a 2-0 shutout win over MSU Denver back on Oct. 7, UCCS extends their win streak against the Roadrunners to five straight games to own an all-time record of 7-9-1.
• Last time out against MSU Denver, the Mountain Lions held the advantage in shots on goal (6-5) as the Roadrunners out-shot UCCS, 17-15. Bri Johnson netted the game-winning goal in the 44^th minute as Makayla Merlo added a second goal in the 57^th minute.

Scouting MSU Denver

• At a 10-5-2 overall record and 7-5 conference record, MSU Denver heads into Sunday's quarterfinal matchup winning five out of their last six games. The Roadrunners are riding a three-game win streak with all three wins decided by a 1-0 result against Western Colorado University, Fort Lewis College, and the most recent win against Black Hills State University.
• The Roadrunners have the fifth best scoring offense in the RMAC with 1.77 goals per game and have recorded eight shutouts on the year for the third most in the conference.
• MSU Denver's offense includes three student-athletes who have scored double-digit points this season as forward Kailey Maness holds the team lead in goals (five) and points (13). Forward Katy Coats is second on the team with 12 points off four goals and four assists as midfielder Annie Rolf paces the team in shots (39) and assists (seven) while netting two goals for 11 points.
• Freshman goalkeeper Kayla Caballero tabbed her third RMAC Goalkeeper of the Week honor as she holds an 8-5-2 record in frame with five shutouts. Caballero has made 37 saves on 110 shots faced while surrendering 11 goals for the conference's third lowest GAA of  0.79. 

Hot Takes

• UCCS has posted a win in the RMAC Quarterfinals the last four seasons.
• UCCS' RMAC leading 55 goals scored is 10 more than the second most in the conference (Regis, 45) and 25 more than MSU Denver's total for the season.
• Four Mountain Lions currently sit in the conference top-10 for goals with Makayla Merlo tied for third (eight), Tarah Patterson tied for fifth (seven), and both Katlin Hinkle and Jadyn LeDoux tied for eighth (six).
• The Mountain Lions tied their season high point total on Wednesday night with 12 points scored, making it the fourth time this season that UCCS has tallied 12 points in a single game.
• Midfielder Tarah Patterson's 11 assists on the year is one off the single season program record (12).
• The Mountain Lions have scored four goals in three of the last four games with three first half goals scored in the last two games.
• Makayla Merlo extends her point streak to four consecutive games after scoring her team leading eighth goal of the year on Wednesday night.
• Midfielder Ella Fischer has started in UCCS' last 36 games, dating back to Oct. 18 of 2019.
• On the defensive side, UCCS has recorded seven shutouts this fall for the fourth most in the conference. Katie Puchino, Zoe Sims, Ella Fischer, and Makenna Fowler continue to be anchors for the Mountain Lions with each recording over 1,000 minutes on the pitch.
• All three Mountain Lion goalkeepers have two shutouts on the year with Alexis Walker making the last four starts and improving to a perfect 4-0 record in frame.
• Head Coach J. B. Belzer a holds career record of 13-32-4 against MSU Denver.

Weather

• Sunday's forecast calls for a hot and sunny Fall Day with a high near 75 degrees and winds five to 10 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 26^th total season as a Division II head coach after spending 24 seasons at Regis University.
• Belzer holds a 339-150-37 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

• The winner of Sunday's match will move on to face the winner of No. 3 seed Colorado School of Mines and No. 6 seed Westminster College on Wednesday, Nov. 10 with the highest seed remaining slated to host the RMAC Semifinal.

RMAC Quarterfinal Ticket Prices

• Adults (Ages 23 and Up):  $10.00
  Seniors (Ages 65 and Up): $5.00
  Students (w/ valid I.D.): $5.00
  Children (Ages 6-12): $5.00
  UCCS Students w/ valid I.D.: Free
  Children 5 & Under: Free

 
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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.