GOLDEN, CO- After several hours of clearing the field, the Cougars took on Colorado School of Mines on a cold and snowy Sunday afternoon in Golden. Led by a goal from Caleb Dodge in the first half and a Gabe Roloff strike in the final five minutes of play, CCU defeated the Orediggers 2-1 for their first win over CSM since 2013 as they closed their season strong. 

After a kickoff that was delayed three hours due to snow on the field in Golden, the teams got underway and it was the hosts who got some pressure early, forcing a pair of saves from Michel Pinoncely in the first 20 minutes. Matthew Beaulieu then got off a shot on goal that was saved in the 24th minute. A brilliant play led to a CCU goal in the 28th, as Adrian Diez took a throw-in on the sideline and streaked up the sideline. Dodge made a strong run near the post and took the pass from Diez and slotted it far post for the goal. Just before the half, the Orediggers equalized to send the teams to halftime tied at 1-1. 

The teams battled back and forth in the second half, desperately trying to break the tie and claim victory. Mines got off a shot on goal 10 minutes into the half, but Pinoncely was there to make the stop. The Cougars were not able to get a ton of shots off in the half, but they made their chances count. With a little under five minutes left in the game, Silas Hess got the ball in the attacking third and made a perfect pass to Roloff. The senior made sure his final game with the Cougars was one to remember, taking the pass and blasting a low shot past the keeper as the team celebrated a goal that sent them ahead 2-1 with less than five minutes to play. 

The Orediggers got one last desperation shot off in the final seconds, but Pinoncely once again made the save as CCU celebrated their first win since 2013 over Mines, securing victory by a score of 2-1. 

With the win, Colorado Christian sent their nine seniors out the right way, claiming a huge victory for the program over a strong Mines squad. CCU finishes the season with an overall record of 5-6-6 and a mark of 3-4-3 in RMAC play. With a lot of new players on the team, there are some high hopes for the 2024 season as the Cougars close out a memorable 2023.