DURANGO, Colo. – Riding a three-match winning streak and sitting firmly in the thick of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference race, the Fort Lewis College women's soccer team returns to Dirks Field on Friday night for its lone match of the week, welcoming CSU Pueblo for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff.

Friday's contest will serve as the Skyhawks' annual Nike N7 match, highlighting Fort Lewis College's commitment to celebrating Native American and Indigenous communities through sport.

Fort Lewis enters the week at 7-2-2 overall and 4-2 in RMAC play, good for 12 conference points and a tie for third in the league standings. The Skyhawks are level with Colorado Mesa and UCCS at 12 points and trail second-place Black Hills State by just one point. Regis leads the conference with 18 points.

Last Time Out

Fort Lewis completed a perfect road swing last week, earning matching 3-1 victories over New Mexico Highlands and Adams State.

The Skyhawks opened the trip by overwhelming New Mexico Highlands in the second half. Fort Lewis finished with a 23-6 advantage in shots and put 14 attempts on goal, with Lucy Bernino, Ann Spence, and Kadyn Begay each finding the back of the net. The Skyhawks outshot the Cowgirls 16-2 over the final 45 minutes.

Fort Lewis carried that momentum into Sunday's meeting with Adams State, where Maleia Dayao scored twice to lead the Skyhawks to another 3-1 win. Dayao struck twice in a span of just over two minutes in the opening half, while freshman Emma Gurule added insurance with her sixth goal of the season in the 83rd minute. Senior goalkeeper Trinity Lujan made seven saves in the victory.

The two victories extended Fort Lewis' winning streak to three matches after the Skyhawks previously earned a 1-0 road win over Westminster.

Friday Night Under the Lights

Friday marks Fort Lewis' first match at Dirks Field since September and begins an important stretch of home soccer for the Skyhawks.

The matchup also carries weight in a crowded RMAC table. Fort Lewis enters Friday tied for third with 12 points, while CSU Pueblo sits at 1-3-1 in conference play with four points. With Colorado Mesa, Fort Lewis and UCCS all sitting on 12 points and Colorado School of Mines close behind with 10, every result becomes increasingly valuable as the regular season moves into its second half.

The Skyhawks will look to continue an offensive surge that has produced seven goals over the current three-match winning streak.

Freshman Emma Gurule continues to lead the attack with six goals this season after scoring against Adams State. Dayao has emerged alongside her as another dangerous option, pushing her season total to four goals with Sunday's brace. The freshman has scored three goals over the Skyhawks' last four matches.

Lujan continues to anchor the other end of the field after making seven saves Sunday. The senior has been a key piece of a Fort Lewis defense that has conceded just eight goals through 11 matches.

Scouting CSU Pueblo

CSU Pueblo makes the trip to Durango with a 3-6-2 overall record and 1-3-1 mark in RMAC play. The ThunderWolves have scored nine goals while allowing 16 this season and have been held scoreless in four of their last six matches.

The Pack picked up its first conference victory with a 2-1 result over MSU Denver on October 2 before falling 1-0 to Colorado Christian on Sunday. CSU Pueblo held a 6-5 edge in first-half shots against the Cougars but surrendered the match's lone goal in the 38th minute.

Baylie Reedy has paced CSU Pueblo offensively with three goals this season, while Abby Menk has added two. Goalkeeper Peppi Niemi has handled the bulk of the work between the posts.

Despite the difference in the standings, recent history suggests Friday could be another tightly contested matchup. Fort Lewis and CSU Pueblo played to a scoreless draw in Pueblo last season, with the Skyhawks putting six of their 14 shots on goal.

By the Numbers

• 3 – Consecutive wins for Fort Lewis entering Friday

• 7 – Goals scored by the Skyhawks during the winning streak

• 12 – RMAC points for Fort Lewis, tied for third in the conference

• 6 – Team-leading goals for freshman Emma Gurule

• 4 – Goals for Maleia Dayao after her brace against Adams State

• 7 – Saves by Trinity Lujan in Sunday's win over Adams State

• 8 – Goals allowed by Fort Lewis through 11 matches

• 0 – Goals scored between Fort Lewis and CSU Pueblo in last season's 0-0 draw

Around the RMAC

The race near the top of the RMAC remains crowded entering the weekend. Regis has separated itself from the field at 6-0 with 18 points, while Black Hills State sits second with 13. Colorado Mesa, Fort Lewis and UCCS each have 12 points, followed closely by Colorado School of Mines with 10.

For the Skyhawks, Friday provides an opportunity to keep pace with the conference leaders before returning to Dirks Field the following week for matches against Black Hills State and Regis. Fort Lewis hosts Black Hills State on Friday, Oct. 16 at 6:00 p.m. before taking on Regis on Sunday, Oct. 18 at noon.

Up Next

Fort Lewis and CSU Pueblo kick off at 6:00 p.m. Friday at Dirks Field for the Skyhawks' Nike N7 match. Fort Lewis will remain at home the following weekend to host Black Hills State and Regis.