TAOS, N.M. – It was do-or-die for Western State Colorado University women's soccer on Saturday in Taos, New Mexico against New Mexico Highlands University. Win and the Mountaineers would make the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament, lose and the season ends. Western kept the season alive, defeating the Cowgirls 4-0.
 
Western (5-9-2, 4-7-1 RMAC) came out of the gates swinging. It took only 11:43 for the Mountaineers to score the game-winning goal. Senior Jessica Kresl scored the goal, her team-leading fourth goal of the season.
 
Coming off the bench, Jessie Jacobsen scored the second goal for the Mountaineers in the 30^th minute. The goal was Jacobsen's first of the season.
 
Less than one minute later, Francesca Rand found the back of the net for the third goal of the match for Western. It was also Rand's first goal of the season, taking the Mountaineers into halftime, leading 3-0.
 
The Mountaineers would add one more insurance goal in the 54^th minute. Taylor Frick scored her first of the season after receiving a well-timed pass from Kresl.
 
With a near certain win, the Mountaineers went on the defensive in the second half. Goalies Katie Simpson-Johnson and Emilie Eckhart combined for 10 saves and helped earn Western's fifth shutout of the season.
 
The win propelled Western into the RMAC Tournament. After a loss by Fort Lewis College, the Mountaineers jumped into the seventh seed and will face No. 18 Colorado School of Mines at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 31.
 
This is the second consecutive season and second time overall Western has made the RMAC Tournament. Last year, the Mountaineers were the eighth seed and also played CSM in the first round.