DURANGO, Colo. – With postseason positioning on the line, the Fort Lewis College women's soccer team heads to the Front Range this weekend for its final two road matches of the regular season, taking on Colorado Christian University on Friday, Oct. 23, before facing MSU Denver on Sunday, Oct. 25.
The Skyhawks (9-3-2, 6-3-0 RMAC) open the weekend against the Cougars at 1 p.m. on Friday at Trailblazer Stadium in Lakewood, Colo., before traveling to Denver for a 1 p.m. Sunday kickoff against the Roadrunners at Assembly Athletic Complex.
Fort Lewis enters the weekend in the upper half of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings, having already secured a berth in the RMAC Tournament. With three regular-season matches remaining, the Skyhawks will look to strengthen their postseason positioning and build momentum heading into November.
Last Time Out
Fort Lewis split a pair of home matches last weekend, earning a 1-0 victory over Black Hills State on Friday before suffering a narrow 1-0 setback against conference-leading Regis on Sunday.
Against Black Hills State, the Skyhawks handed the Yellow Jackets just their second loss of the season behind a first-half goal from Kiana Jamerson. The junior found the back of the net for the first time this season, converting an opportunity created by freshman Emma Gurule to give Fort Lewis the early advantage.
The Skyhawks' defensive unit held firm throughout the remainder of the match, with sophomore goalkeeper Trinity Lujan recording another shutout to preserve the victory.
On Sunday, Fort Lewis battled unbeaten RMAC leader Regis in one of its strongest offensive performances of the conference season despite coming away with a 1-0 loss.
The Skyhawks outshot the Rangers 16-10, including a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal, and controlled extended stretches of offensive possession. Regis ultimately broke through in the second half when conference scoring leader Fernanda Rodriguez intercepted a pass inside the penalty area and placed her 16th goal of the season into the lower-right corner.
Despite the result, Fort Lewis demonstrated its ability to compete with the conference's top team, generating consistent offensive pressure against a Regis defense that has been among the league's best throughout the season.
Inside the Numbers
Fort Lewis has established itself as one of the RMAC's stronger defensive teams this season, combining disciplined back-line play with an increasingly balanced offensive attack.
The Skyhawks have been particularly effective at limiting opponents' scoring opportunities, with goalkeeper Trinity Lujan anchoring a defensive unit that has produced seven shutouts through the first 13 matches.
Offensively, freshman Emma Gurule leads Fort Lewis with six goals and 14 points, while sophomore Maleia Dayao has contributed four goals and three assists for 11 points. Junior Addyson Carpentier follows with three goals, while senior Jenna Salazar leads the team with five assists.
Fort Lewis has also received contributions from senior Ann Spence and freshman Kadyn Begay, who have scored twice apiece, while juniors Kiana Jamerson and Lucy Bernino have each added a goal.
The Skyhawks' defensive success has been supported by the consistent play of senior Amber Otts, Bernino, and juniors Kailin Gudewicz and Mia Duncan, who have helped limit opposing attacks throughout the season.
Lujan has been one of the RMAC's top goalkeepers, combining strong shot-stopping ability with consistent command of the penalty area.
Scouting Colorado Christian
Colorado Christian enters the weekend with a 3-8-4 overall record and a 2-6-1 mark in RMAC play. Despite its record, the Cougars have remained competitive defensively, holding several of the conference's top programs to one-goal margins.
Through 15 matches, Colorado Christian has scored 11 goals while allowing 16, averaging 0.73 goals per match and surrendering 1.07. The Cougars have attempted 180 shots, averaging 12.0 per contest, while placing 79 attempts on goal for a .439 shots-on-goal percentage.
Colorado Christian has also generated 60 corner kicks compared to 34 for its opponents, demonstrating an ability to create offensive opportunities even when goals have been difficult to come by.
Alexis Byrd has been the Cougars' primary offensive threat, leading the team with six goals and 12 points. Byrd has attempted 32 shots, including 16 on goal, and accounts for more than half of Colorado Christian's scoring production.
Kayla Truong provides another attacking option with 27 shots and 11 shots on goal, while Sophia Tagge has contributed a team-leading two assists. Brooke Berens and Faith Gaudy have each recorded a goal and an assist, providing additional depth in the attack.
Defensively, Colorado Christian has relied heavily on goalkeeper Kenzie Kunitz, who has started 14 matches and logged 1,260 minutes in goal. Kunitz has recorded 45 saves, a .763 save percentage and a 1.00 goals-against average while earning five shutouts.
The Cougars have shown an ability to keep matches close against quality competition, falling 1-0 to Colorado Mesa, Colorado School of Mines, and Regis earlier in conference play. Colorado Christian also played Westminster to a scoreless draw and earned a 1-0 road victory over CSU Pueblo.
Scouting MSU Denver
MSU Denver enters the weekend with a 3-8-4 overall record and a 2-6-1 conference mark, sitting alongside Colorado Christian in the lower half of the RMAC standings.
The Roadrunners have struggled to find consistency offensively this season, scoring 13 goals through 15 matches for an average of 0.87 per contest. MSU Denver has attempted 109 shots, averaging 7.3 per match, while placing 50 on target for a .459 shots-on-goal percentage.
Defensively, the Roadrunners have surrendered 25 goals, averaging 1.67 goals allowed per match. Opponents have generated 155 shots and 79 shots on goal against MSU Denver, while holding a 79-48 advantage in corner kicks.
Grace Johnson leads the Roadrunners with three goals and one assist for seven points, while Jaslyn Sanders follows with two goals and one assist for five points. Addison Mandeville, Addison Osilka and Maya Woods have each contributed two goals, giving MSU Denver several offensive options.
Woods leads the team with 15 shots and nine shots on goal, while Johnson and Madrid Mack have each attempted 13 shots. Sandra Swartz leads the team with two assists.
In goal, Morgan Shirley has handled the majority of the Roadrunners' minutes, appearing in 10 matches and recording 35 saves with a .729 save percentage and a 1.42 goals-against average. Shirley has earned four individual shutouts while helping MSU Denver produce five total clean sheets.
MSU Denver has experienced an up-and-down conference season, highlighted by a 4-0 victory over New Mexico Highlands and a competitive 2-1 setback against Regis. The Roadrunners have also faced difficult results against several of the league's top teams, including Colorado Mesa, UCCS. and Colorado School of Mines.
Around the RMAC
The race for postseason seeding continues to intensify as the RMAC regular season enters its final two weeks. Regis remains atop the conference standings with an unbeaten record in league play, followed by Colorado Mesa. Black Hills State and UCCS are also among the conference's top teams, while Fort Lewis remains firmly in the postseason picture.
The Skyhawks have already secured an RMAC Tournament berth, but their final three matches will play an important role in determining their seed and potential postseason opponents. Fort Lewis will look to take advantage of this weekend's road opportunities before returning to Durango for its regular-season finale against Western Colorado.
Up Next
Following this weekend's road trip, Fort Lewis returns home to close out the regular season against Western Colorado University on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. at Dirks Field.
The Skyhawks will then turn their attention to the RMAC Tournament, scheduled to begin Sunday, Nov. 1.
Fans can follow all the action through live statistics and the RMAC Network, with links available at goskyhawks.com.
