Seniors Steer Senior Day Shutout; Unbeaten Streak To 31 Straight

GOLDEN – Charged on offense and defense by its senior quartet, NSCAA No. 2 Colorado School of Mines women's soccer ran its record-breaking unbeaten streak to 31 consecutive matches Wednesday evening in Golden as the Orediggers blanked crosstown rival Metro State, 3-0.

One of seven unbeatens remaining at week's beginning, Mines (16-0-1, 13-0 RMAC) extended the sixth-longest unbeaten mark in Division II lore with its nationally-leading 16th win and program-record 13th in a row. The Orediggers are tied for 17th in consecutive conference matches without a loss with 23 and 18th in consecutive conference wins with 16.

Mines dictated time of possession throughout the first 45:00, outshooting Metro State (11-3-3, 9-3-1 RMAC) 10-0 with three shots on target, including the opening score from senior Anna Evans at 28:23. Evans gathered a cleared defensive header outside the box off a corner try by classmate Jordan Hopper and directed a low shot through traffic just right of the penalty arc from 20 yards deep.

Just over 20 minutes into the second, Evans added her RMAC-leading 12th score of the season, turning on a left-footed, 16-yard strike inside the left semicircle at 65:43 by way of a feed from her right by freshman Anna Deleray.

With 6:28 remaining, the women answered for a third time as Evans played a pass ahead through defenders to fellow senior Bree Archuleta who struck the six-yard look over the sliding keeper's right shoulder while holding off a defender on her left.

Mines finished with 10 of 23 shots on goal, led by Evans with four and Deleray with two, while defensive stalwarts Hopper and senior Kelsey Neal helped limit the Roadrunners to just nine attempts and four on-goal looks.   

Sophomore Jayln Yates denied the four looks, pushing her record to 16-0-1 in goal. The conference leader in goals against average (.231) and save percentage (.933), Yates is four away from tying Briana Schulze (26; 2007-10) for the program lead in career shutouts with 22.

The first-time RMAC regular season champions will go for the conference sweep at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3 against No. 21 Fort Lewis at Dirks Field in Durango.