Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines’ Laura Butler joins Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Elli Zimmer and Kylie Bach as the week three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Players of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.
 
Butler claims Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after pushing the Orediggers (3-1-1) to a 2-0 win over a then No. 17 Seattle Pacific program. The sophomore notched Mines’ game-winning goal in the 13th minute with a 17-yard shot that found the net in the bottom right corner. The Orediggers return to action this week with their conference-opener Friday, Sept. 16, on the road against Adams State. Kickoff against the Grizzlies is slated for 3 p.m. MT, in Alamosa, Colo.  
 
Zimmer earns her second consecutive Defensive Player of the Week honor after leading the Roadrunners (4-1-1) to a pair of 1-0 victories over Central Washington and Eastern New Mexico last week. The senior defender led the MSU Denver backline to a pair of clean sheets where they allowed a combined three shots on goal for the weekend. In Friday’s win at home over Central Washington, Zimmer served up the assist for the Roadrunners’ game-winner.
 
Bach earns her first RMAC Goalkeeper of the Week honor of the season for her role in the Roadrunners’ two shutout victories last week. The Thornton, Colo., native logged 111 minutes in the net for MSU Denver,  claimed a shutout and extended her scoreless streak to 292 minutes for the season. She faced six shots, four on goal, and turned away all four efforts last week.
 
The Roadrunners will now turn their attention to RMAC play with their conference opener at home against Westminster on Thursday, Sept. 15. Kickoff against the Griffins is slated for 6 p.m., inside The Assembly Athletic Complex in Denver, Colo.
 
Offensive Player of the Week: Laura Butler, Colorado School of Mines – So. – M – Chicago, Ill.
Butler scored her third goal of the season in Mines’ 2-0 win over No. 17 Seattle Pacific last Friday on a right-footed rocket in the 13th minute of play. She logged 56 minutes of action in the Orediggers’ lone match of the week and helped her squad serve up its third shutout of the season.
 
Honorable Mention: Carena Harrison, Adams State; Mikayla Eccher, Colorado Mesa Luna Garcia, MSU Denver; Desiree Trinidad-Gonzalez, Western Colorado; Alexa Maple, Westminster.

Defensive Player of the Week: Elli Zimmer, MSU Denver – Sr. – D – Castle Rock, Colo.
Zimmer once again anchored the RMAC's stingiest defense in a pair of MSU Denver non-conference victories last week. The senior racked up 180 minutes on the pitch and picked up an assist on the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Central Washington. The Roadrunners defeated Central Washington on Friday, while yielding only five shots, and then picked up a 1-0 win at Eastern New Mexico on Sunday where they allowed just three shots, one on goal, against the Greyhounds. MSU Denver has allowed just two goals this season for an average of 0.33 per game.
 
Honorable Mention: Emily Chamberlain, Adams State; Makenna Fowler, UCCS; Karly Morkunas, Western Colorado; Sophia DiGeronimo, Westminster.
 
Goalkeeper of the Week: Kylie Bach, MSU Denver – So. – GK – Thornton, Colo.
Bach extended her scoreless streak to 292 minutes for the season, 564 minutes for her career, as she played the final 21 minutes in a 1-0 win over Central Washington. She logged four saves for the weekend, three of which came against CWU on Friday. The sophomore then claimed her third shutout of the season in Sunday’s win over Eastern New Mexico. Bach currently leads the RMAC in goals-against average (.000) and save percentage (1.000) and is tied for first in the league for shutouts (3).
 
Honorable Mention: Chloe Dody, Colorado Mesa; Emma Carstens, Colorado School of Mines; Alexis Walker, UCCS; Aubree Orosco, Western Colorado.