Winning two games in three days is challenging, especially on the road. The Colorado State soccer team made it look easy this weekend in Nevada. The Rams won both of their matchups, taking down the University of Nevada and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to tally their 11th and 12th wins on the season. These two victories secured a place in the Mountain West Championship Tournament for the Rams.

CSU vs. Nevada

The Rams began their weekend in Reno on Friday, Oct. 25, facing off against the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. The Rams recorded an impressive 2-1 victory in overtime off a Caeley Lordemann special from 20 yards in the third minute of extra time to secure the win for the Rams. 

The Rams looked comfortable in the first half, forcing Nevada’s goalkeeper, Kendal Stovall, to make a save in the first minute of play. After that close call, Nevada organized themselves and were able to create some chances of their own, registering three shots in the first half, with two on goal. 

Both defenses were rock solid throughout the game. The CSU defensive partnership of Addie Wright and Halley Havlicek limited the Wolf Pack to only seven shots the whole game. The Nevada defense played with intensity, repelling the Rams’ strong attack in the second half, keeping out CSU’s first 17 shots of the game.

Nevada was the first to make a breakthrough on the scoreboard. Midfielder Gabby Brown threaded a pass to sophomore forward Payton Lieb, who converted to put the Wolf Pack up 1-0 in the 80th minute.

The Rams refused to let up, despite conceding a late goal. Two minutes later, Gracie Armstrong was able to find Lordemann, who skillfully dribbled past two Nevada defenders and rifled a shot into the bottom right corner of the net. This was her ninth goal of the season and sent the game to overtime.

🐦👁️ view of Caeley Lordemann's 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 in OT! pic.twitter.com/AKTXWMOOg5

— Colorado State Soccer (@CSUFutbol) October 26, 2019

Both teams looked ready to lay it all on the line going into OT; it only took the Rams three minutes to score. Lordemann surged forward behind the defense before slamming a shot from outside the box. Stovall was unable to keep the shot out, awarding CSU the overtime win. The overtime goal Lordemann scored was her seventh game-winning goal of the season.

Sophomore forward Kristen Noonan was featured in Friday’s game after missing CSU’s last three games due to injury. Armstrong broke the CSU single-season record for assists, notching her seventh of the season. CSU’s win against Nevada saw the program extend their record-setting win total to 11 wins on the season, while Nevada falls to 3-13 on the season.

CSU vs. UNLV

Goals, goals, goals. That’s what the Rams dished out when they visited Las Vegas on Sunday to face off against the UNLV Rebels. The CSU women cruised to a 5-2 victory, winning against UNLV for the first time in program history.

The Rebels came out hot in the first half, recording three shots in the first eight minutes of play, but the Rams quickly reorganized themselves and began to attack.

Junior forward Taylor Steinke was the first on the scoresheet, firing a shot into the top left corner of the goal in the 16th minute. Four minutes later, Lordemann found freshman Liv Layton, who scored her first collegiate goal with a shot also finding the top left corner.

In her second game after returning from injury, Noonan scored her sixth goal of the season in the 37th minute, slotting the ball into the bottom left. UNLV got one goal back before halftime; Marcella Brooks scored with seven seconds remaining in the half. The Rams didn’t skip a beat coming into the second half. Steinke scored her second goal of the game, fourth of the season, two minutes after halftime.

UNLV kept up the pressure, finding the net one more time through senior Malika Markham. Lordemann put the game to bed after latching on to a brilliantly threaded ball from Armstrong to score her 11th goal of the season. Armstrong improved on her record that she broke in Reno on Friday, registering her eighth assist of the season.

The win against UNLV secured the Rams their first ever trip to the Mountain West Championship Tournament. The Rams have shattered their win record this season, improving to 12-5-1, with their last matchup coming against Wyoming at home on Friday, Nov. 1. With a place in the tournament already confirmed, the Rams have a lot to look forward to and prepare for.

With Noonan looking to add to her already impressive goal tally and Lordemann’s already impressive team-leading 27 points, the Rams are looking like they could do some serious damage in the postseason. 

Bailey Shepherd can be reached at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @B_Sheps.