Denver, Colorado: One goal was enough for the Regis University Rangers women’s soccer team to defeat the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks in tonight’s Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opening match.  The Rangers move to 3-1-1 overall, 1-0 in the conference, and recorded their third shutout of the year. 

“Very pleased we got the shutout, we figured out how to win 1-0 and that’s going to be important in this conference,” expressed head coach J.B. Belzer.  The score remained at a lock heading into the break with neither team able to pull away. 

The most dangerous play of the match came in the 59^th minute when junior forward Sid Otto (Highlands Ranch, Colorado) placed the ball for a free kick just outside the 18-yard box.  On the sound of the whistle, Otto struck the ball sailing it just over the heads of a Skyhawk wall striking the underside of the cross bar to send the ball straight down and deflect off multiple players before Fort Lewis was able to clear it away. 

The Rangers won the corner kick advantage 8-1 and found the game-winning goal from a play immediately following a poor corner kick clearance.  Freshman defender Caelyn Hirschman (Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England) connected on a header from a cross that came into the box from right side of the field.  Junior midfielder Nicholette Sartori (Malabar, Florida) is credited with the assist. 

The Skyhawks would make a final push as time winded down but once again Ranger defenders kept a clean sheet.  Sophomore goalkeeper Kat Crump (Huntsville, Alabama) played all 90 minutes and recorded just two saves.  “It’s always important to open conference play with a win,” stated Belzer in response to his team’s efforts tonight.    

The Rangers travel to Adams State on Sunday, September 21^st, k ick-off is set for 1 p.m.