GUNNISON, Colo. --- The Western Colorado women's soccer team hits the road to take on Colorado Mesa 1 p.m. Saturday at Maverick Field. 

MOUNTAINEERS HEADING INTO THE WEEK | SPRING 2021 SEASON STATS
Western Colorado opened its season at defending regular season RMAC champion UCCS and fell to the Mountain Lions 5-1 on Sunday in Colorado Springs. The Mountaineers fell behind 2-0 in the first half and 3-0 early in the second half before a a long shot from Western's Caileen Sienknecht found the back of the net to cut the UCCS lead to 3-1. However, two more goals by the Mountain Lions made the final 5-1.

Laura Pelino led the team with three shots (one on goal). Kaeyla Noble played 55 minutes and made five saves and allowed three goals while Grace Walker played the final 35 minutes and made four saves while allowing two goals.

COLORADO MESA HEADING INTO THE WEEK | SPRING 2021 SEASON STATS
The Mavericks opened their season last week at home by falling to CSU Pueblo 1-0 on March 5 on a goal in the 84th minute by the ThunderWolves before playing to a 1-1 tie against Fort Lewis on Sunday thanks to a goal in the 88th minute by Sydney Hathaway - assisted by Lexi Newton.

Lila Dere leads the team with 11 shots, but has yet to find the back of the net while Newton is second on the team in shots with eight with no goals. Chloe Dody has played all 200 minutes for the Mavs, allowing two goals and making seven saves while facing 15 shots.

LAST SEASON VS. COLORADO MESA
The Mountaineers went 0-2 against the Mavericks last season, both one-goal losses in Grand Junction - losing 2-1 on Sept. 8, 2019, and 1-0 on Oct. 13, 2019. Western is 2-7-2 against CMU all-time, losing five straight to the Mavs. The last win against CMU came Oct. 11, 2015 (1-0). The Mountaineers are 0-5-1 in Grand Junction against the Mavs all-time.

WESTERN COLORADO NOTES

- WELCOME TO KATY O. RADY FIELD - THE HIGHEST COLLEGIATE SOCCER FIELD IN THE WORLD
Western Colorado women's soccer will debut Katy O. Rady Field this season and it will be the highest collegiate soccer field in the world at 7,723 feet. 

- MOUNTAINEERS LED BY FIRST-YEAR HEAD COACH AMANDA RASO
The Mountaineers have a new coach heading into this season as Amanda Raso takes over. Raso spent the previous two seasons at NCAA Division I North Dakota where she supervised the goalkeepers during two of the most successful seasons in Fighting Hawks D-I history. The Aurora, Colorado, native was also an assistant coach at Fort Lewis (2015-17), played for the Skyhawks (2010-14) and also served as a graduate assistant at Midwestern State.

- MOUNTAINEERS PICKED 12TH IN RMAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL (RELEASE)
The Western Colorado women's soccer team was picked 12th in the RMAC when the conference released its preseason coaches poll. The Mountaineers went 3-13-1 in 2019, including 3-9-1 in RMAC play to finish 11th in the conference. This will be the first season under new coach Amanda Raso for Western Colorado as well as its first season on the new Katy O. Rady Field.

RMAC Coaches Poll (first place votes)

1. Colorado School of Mines – 137 (8)

2. UCCS – 121 (3)

3. Westminster – 117 (1)

4. Fort Lewis – 96

5. MSU Denver – 89

6. Regis – 87

7. CSU Pueblo -83

8. Colorado Mesa – 73

9. Colorado Christian – 61

10. Adams State – 60 (1)

11. Black Hills State – 43

12. Western Colorado – 32