Denver in D1, Colorado Mines, Colorado State Pueblo, and Fort Lewis in D2 have reached the “Sweet 16” in the NCAA soccer championships after posting wins this past weekend.
Nine Colorado colleges and universities qualified for NCAA berths, with DU, CSU Pueblo, and Fort Lewis unbeaten after two matches each in the men’s national champions. Colorado Mines women, the top-ranked team in the nation, is also 2-0 to start their run to the finals.
Here is a recap from the schools. MEN’S BRACKET – D1 / D2 / D3 – WOMEN’S BRACKET – D1 / D2
Colorado Mines (20-0-2) advanced to the quarterfinals by posting a 3-1 win over Angelo State on Sunday in Golden. The Orediggers, who captured both the regular- and post-season titles in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, play this Saturday at Cal Poly Pomona in a 2 p.m. match where the winner advances to the “final four” at Matthews, N. C. on December 13-15. The Orediggers are appearing in their 16th NCAA D2 playoffs with an 18-10-9 match mark. Mines advanced to the semifinals once in 2014 where Mines lost 1-0 to Rollins in Louisville, Ky. READ MORE
Colorado State Pueblo (16-3-3), the regular- and post-season RMAC men’s champions, have powered past Western Oregon 3-2 and Cal State Los Angeles 3-0 at home to advance to the quarterfinals, where the ThunderWolves host rival Fort Lewis on Saturday at 3 p.m. The two teams will be meeting for the fourth time this season. After tying the Skyhawks 2-2 in Durango on September 26, the Pack dropped a 1-0 decision to Fort Lewis in Pueblo on October 20. The two schools met for the RMAC title on November 16, with CSU Pueblo winning 2-1 at Gonzalez Stadium. The ThunderWolves will be seeking their third straight trip to the “final four” after finishing second the past two seasons to Franklin Pierce. Matthews, N. C. hosts the men’s D2 final matches on December 12-14. READ MORE
Denver (14-3-4) advanced to the quarterfinals with wins over Garnder-Webb 3-0 and Indiana 1-0 at home. The Pioneers host Massachusett at 1 p.m. on Saturday with the winner advancing to the “final four” in Cary, N. C. on Decmeber 13-16. Denver is competing in its 13th D1 championship with a 2016 semi-final appearance where the Pioneers dropped a 2-1 decision in two overtimes to Wake Forest in Houston. DU has a 9-11-1 match mark in the NCAAs. READ MORE
Fort Lewis (14-3-6) men have posted a pair of road wins to advance to quarterfinals by defeating UC Colorado Springs 4-2 and Midwestern State of Texas 2-0. The Skyhawks play at CSU Pueblo on Saturday at 3 p.m. Fort Lewis has dominated the series with the ThunderWolves 51-13-5, but is only 3-3-2 in the last eight matches with CSU Pueblo. The Skyhawks have reached the “final four” five times with titles in 2005, 2009 and 2011 with seconds in 1999 and 2006. READ MORE
The following schools have completed their seasons after losing matches in the NCAA playoffs.
- Colorado College’s men’s team finished the season with a 16-3-3 record after splitting two matches in NCAA Division III play. The 16 wins were the most since the 2004 season. READ MORE
- Colorado’s women’s team ended the season 12-5-5 after losing 3-1 to second-seeded Wake Forest. The Buffs upset No. 7-seeded Georgia 3-2 in the NCAA Division I Tournament first round. READ MORE
- Colorado Mesa concluded the campaign with a 14-2-4 record after posting a 1-1 mark in the opening rounds of the NCAA Division II women’s playoffs. The fifth-seeded Mavericks defeated fourth-seeded Midwestern State 2-1 in Golden before losing to home-standing Colorado Mines on penalty kicks (3-3, 2-4). READ MORE
- MSU Denver posted a 10-4-7 record as the Roadrunners had their playoff hopes disappear after dropping a 2-1 decision to third-seeded Dallas Baptist in the first round of the NCAA Division II women’s playoff in San Angelo, Texas. READ MORE
- UC Colorado Springs completed the season with a 14-3-4 record after being eliminated in a 4-2 decision to RMAC rival Fort Lewis at home. READ MORE
