DURANGO, Colo. – Renee Terrell and Kaylee Mickens made it a Senior Day to remember, as Terrell scored the first goal of the game and Mickens ended up getting the win in goal as the Fort Lewis College women's soccer team picked up the 2-1 win over New Mexico Highlands in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Saturday at Dirks Field.
The three FLC seniors in Terrell, Mickens and Ma'ila Aluli were all honored before the game. Terrell and Mickens both started, while Aluli wasn't able to due to injury.
The game featured a good up and down pace with the teams combining for 34 shots, with New Mexico Highlands 2-13-1, 2-10-1 RMAC) holding a 19-15 edge in total shots and 8-6 on goal. Fort Lewis (6-9-2, 5-7-1 RMAC) held a 6-3 edge on corner kicks and committed 13 fouls to 11 for the Cowgirls.
After Mickens made a save just over a minute in, FLC was able to get a chance by Terrell that was saved. Following a wide shot by the Cowgirls, Terrell found the back of the net at the 8:59 mark. Off a corner kick by Emma Patron, Courtney Wamboldt first headed it from the left side of the box over to Terrell on the right side, who promptly headed it home for her fourth goal of the season to give FLC the early 1-0 lead.
Both teams each had a few more chances before a foul in the box by New Mexico Highlands resulted in a penalty kick at the 31:10 mark. Patron stepped up and buried the penalty shot for her second goal of the season and moved the Skyhawks to a 2-0 lead.
Mickens came up big the remainder of the half tallying a couple of saves to leave FLC with a 2-0 lead at halftime.
The Cowgirls opened the second half with a few chances that missed the net. With time ticking down, New Mexico Highlands generated a rush with under 10 minutes to play and Anna Medina fired one from roughly 25 yards out that found the back of the net to get the Cowgirls to within one at 2-1 at the 83:11 mark.
The Cowgirls kept pushing and nearly tied the game when a deep shot hit the crossbar with under five minutes to play. Another shot was on net with just a few minutes to play that Mickens saved to preserve the 2-1 victory.
Patron led the way with four shots, two landing on net. Terrell added three shots, with two on goal. Mickens played all 90 minutes in net coming away with seven saves.
Larissa Romero and Breanna Fatten had five shots each to lead the Cowgirls. Briana Ruelas played the first 64:51 in goal for New Mexico Highlands and made four saves. Daron Vigil-Scott played the final 25:09 in net.
FLC ended up tying Colorado Christian for the final RMAC Tournament spot with both teams going 5-7-1 and 16 points. Colorado Christian ended up getting the final spot based on the head-to-head tiebreaker with the 1-0 win earlier this season in Lakewood.
