DURANGO, Colo. – With the final two games of the regular season on the schedule, the Fort Lewis College women's soccer team will face CSU-Pueblo on Thursday starting at 3 p.m. and then New Mexico Highlands on Saturday beginning at 1:30 p.m. for Senior Day at Dirks Field.
The final week of the regular season will have a lot at stake. Currently the Skyhawks are tied for tenth with Western Colorado University with 13 points. FLC sits two points back of Colorado Mesa for the eighth and final tournament spot and are just three points back of Colorado Christian in seventh. The top eight teams make the conference tournament and FLC could get as high as fifth in the standings if they were to win out and other teams lost and or tied ahead of them.
The game with CSU-Pueblo will feature a matchup of teams within a point of each other as the ThunderWolves have 14 points and currently sit ninth in the standings.
FLC (5-8-2, 4-6-1 RMAC) is coming off of a 1-0-1 week defeating Western Colorado 1-0 on a goal by Charlie Kaiser and then a late second half goal by Katie Smith helped the Skyhawks tie 1-1 with Colorado Mesa on Sunday.
Smith now leads the team in points with seven, tallying three goals and an assist. She was recently named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Renee Terrell, Britney Johnson and Emma Patron are tied for second in points with six apiece as Terrell and Johnson have three goals, while Patron has a goal and four assists. Courtney Wamboldt and Dylan Barker add four points. Smith leads the team in minutes played at 1,391, followed by 1,327 for Megan Trent and 1,262 for Kaiser.
In net, Britt Blomso has started 13 games tallying a 1.32 goals against average, 42 saves, a .737 save percentage, five wins and three shutouts, along with a combined shutout. Kaylee Mickens has also played in eight games, starting two and has a 1.95 goals against average, 31 saves, a .795 save percentage and a combined shutout.
FLC will honor three seniors in Ma'ila Aluli, Kaylee Mickens and Renee Terrell at 1:20 p.m. before the game on Saturday. Below is information on the three seniors.
Aluli has played her entire career with the Skyhawks after arriving from Kahuku High School in Hau'ula, Hawaii. The forward/midfielder was named to the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll in 2016 after competing in 12 games and starting one. She tallied six shots, with one landing on goal and logged nearly 300 minutes.
Mickens has played her entire career with the Skyhawks after arriving from Monarch High School in Louisville, Colo. She's played in 22 games in goal, posting 81 saves, four wins, a shutout and a combined shutout. This season Mickens recorded a career-high 12 saves against Colorado School of Mines and also added six saves versus UC-Colorado Springs. She has a 1.95 goals against average, 31 saves and a .795 save percentage this year. Mickens has been named to the RMAC All-Academic Team each of the past three seasons.
Terrell has played her entire career with the Skyhawks after arriving from Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz. Playing in 54 games at forward for Fort Lewis compiling over 2,400 minutes, eight goals, three assists, 19 points, 78 shots and 30 shots on goal. This season Terrell buried a pair of goals against MSU Texas and added another goal against Adams State. She's played in 11 games, starting nine. Terrell was named to the RMAC All-Academic Team each of the past two seasons.
As a team, FLC ranks high in a few RMAC categories including fourth in saves per game (4.87), seventh in shutout percentage (.267), ninth in goals against average (1.483), save percentage (.760) and win-loss percentage (.400). Individually, Blomso is eighth in the RMAC in goals against average (1.316) and 11th in total saves (42). Mickens is 15th in total saves in the RMAC with 31. Patron is sixth in the RMAC in total assists (4).
First up will be a matchup with CSU-Pueblo on Thursday. Last year, the teams went almost a full 110 minutes before the ThunderWolves claimed a 1-0 win in double overtime in Pueblo. The goal came at 104:39 in the second overtime, as CSU-Pueblo held a 19-2 shot edge and 7-2 on goal. Patron and Jenna Brown had the shots on goal for FLC. The teams met twice in 2016, with the first meeting taking place in Durango as FLC claimed the 3-2 win in double overtime. The ThunderWolves then won the RMAC Tournament meeting in Pueblo, 4-1.
CSU-Pueblo is 7-5-3 overall and 4-5-2 in conference, holding a 5-2 record away from home. The ThunderWolves just finished four-straight at home, going 0-2-2 against Western Colorado, Colorado Mesa, Westminster and Dixie State. This past weekend they tied Westminster 2-2 and fell to Dixie State 2-0. The prior road trip they defeated New Mexico Highlands, Black Hills State and Regis.
Mackenzie Bean and Laikyn Koss lead the team with 16 points, with Bean tallying six goals and Koss with seven. Karley Whiteman adds four goals and Cara Siegel with three. Rylie Martin and Alexa Eastep have split time in goal with Martin playing in 14 games with a 1.41 goals against average, 63 saves and a .768 save percentage. Eastep has played four games with a 2.33 goals against average, with eight saves and a .615 save percentage.
Following the game against CSU-Pueblo, the Skyhawks will host Senior Day Saturday against New Mexico Highlands. Last year, FLC played at the Cowgirls in Taos and came away with the 1-0 victory. Jessica Singleton tallied the only goal of the game just over eight minutes in. The last time the teams played in Durango was in 2016 when FLC grabbed a 2-1 win.
New Mexico Highlands enters with a 1-12-1 overall record and 1-9-1 mark in RMAC play. They hold a 1-4 record away from home. This past weekend they were defeated at home by Dixie State (5-1) and Westminster (2-0). Alondra Gildo-Ceballos and Nitza Rodriguez lead the team with seven points, both with three goals and an assist. Breanna Fatten adds five points with two goals and an assist. Anna Medina has logged the most time with 1,241 minutes. In net, Brianna Ruelas has played 12 games with a 3.42 goals against average, 37 saves and a .529 save percentage. Karina Vega has also played in seven games with a 2.36 goals against average, 25 saves and a .694 save percentage.
Live video and stats will be available for both games.
