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Colorado College will play for pride and local bragging rights on Thursday night when it makes the short drive north on Interstate 25 to take on Air Force. Kickoff at the Cadet Soccer Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.
CC also can play the role of spoiler against the Falcons, who need either a win over the Tigers or a loss by Utah State University on Friday to qualify for the 2017 Mountain West Championship.
Fans can watch this Thursday's contest for free on the Mountain West Network (
http://www.themw.com/sports/2017/8/28/broadcast-guide.aspx). Live stats also are available for the game.
Colorado College is 5-9-4 overall and 2-6-2 in the Mountain West after dropping a pair of games last week to opponents in the upper half of the conference standings. The Tigers fell 3-2 against San Jose State University on Friday at Stewart Field, then lost 3-1 at Fresno State on Sunday. CC is 1-5-3 on the road this season.
Air Force is 7-7-3 overall and 4-3-3 in the MW after being grounded by the same opponents. The Falcons fell 1-0 to Fresno State on Friday, then lost 3-1 at SJSU two days later. Air Force is 4-2-1 at home this year.
CC owns a commanding 12-3-0 advantage in the all-time series with the Falcons, which includes a 4-3-0 mark in games played at the Academy. Regardless of where the teams play, fans can expect a tight, low scoring game since 11 of the 15 previous meetings were decided by one goal. Colorado College has prevailed in all four of the games that went to overtime.
Since joining the Mountain West as an affiliate member in 2014, CC has won all three meetings with the Falcons and now has won six in a row overall.
Colorado College is led by junior midfielder
Lauren Milliet, who already has recorded personal single-season highs of six goals, six assists and 18 points. Junior forward
Clara Richter is second with three goals and 10 points, while junior defender
Kelli Sullivan is next with career highs of three goals and six points. Freshman goalkeeper
Jade Odom owns a 5-6-4 record along with a 1.31 goals-against average and a .756 saves percentage.
Air Force, which is riding a three-game losing streak, averages 0.82 goals per game while allowing 1.12. After starting their Mountain West schedule with a 3-0-3 record, the Falcons have won just once in their last six games (1-3-2).
Air Force is led by senior forward Brooke Rittman, who has a team-high five goals and 10 points. Junior forward Kaitlyn Cook has six points with two goals and a pair of assists, while junior forward Taylor Cobb leads the Falcons with four assists. Junior Jennifer Hiddink has played every minute in goal and is first in the conference with a .852 saves percentage and fourth with a 1.07 GAA.
The winner of Thursday's game will finish fourth in the 2017 Colorado Cup Standings. The Tigers, 0-2-0 in cup matches so far this year, are currently tied for fifth with the Falcons, one point behind Colorado State. On the opening weekend of the season, CC dropped a 3-1 decision to the University of Northern Colorado and fell 1-0 to the University of Colorado in double overtime. Air Force also 0-2-0 with losses to at Denver (1-0 in overtime) and Northern Colorado (2-0) in Boulder.
The Colorado Cup is a season-long series featuring all six Division I programs in the state, with the champion being determined by a points system that awards three points for a win and one point for a tie. The University of Northern Colorado already has clinched the cup for the first time in seven years, edging Colorado, 9-7.
Twelve of Colorado College's 18 games so far this season were decided by one goal or less. The Tigers have played eight one-goal games, while four others resulted in ties. In fact, the four ties equals the school record first set in 2010 and matched again in 2014. The six overtime games this year are the most since 2012 when CC went to extra time six times.
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