Scott Kretzmann
ASC Sports Information
Jennifer Joern scored with one minute, 15 seconds remaining in Sunday’s match, forcing Adams State into overtime against UC-Colorado Springs, but with under a minute remaining in the first extra period junior Amber Drumm scored the game-winner on a penalty kick to give the Grizzlies a 4-3 victory over the Mountain Lions.
The victory moves the Grizzlies to 4-9-1 overall and 3-6-1 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) action, and drops UCCS to 6-7-1 overall and 3-6-1 in conference. The Grizzlies and Mountain Lions are now tied for seventh in the RMAC standings with 10 points apiece, just one point behind Nebraska-Kearney (6-6-2, 3-5-2 RMAC). The top six teams qualify for next month’s RMAC Tournament.
Drumm’s game-winning penalty kick gave her the Adams State career records for both penalty kicks made (3) and attempted (4). It was the third she’s attempted this season, also a record, and the second she has connected on, yet another record. She also scored on a penalty kick in ASC’s non-conference season-opening match against CSU-Pueblo on Sept. 3.
But Drumm also started the scoring for the Grizzlies on Sunday against UCCS, pulling Adams State even after Kristin Preble converted a corner kick for the Mountain Lions in the fifth minute. In the 12th minute, ASC made the most of their first corner kick of the day as well. Sophomore Kaylee Smith took the corner for the Grizzlies, which ricocheted off Hellweg before Drumm deposited it past UCCS keeper Kelly Schroeder. Smith and Hellweg were both given assists.
With two goals in the match, Drumm increased her career total to 11, moving her into fifth all time for ASC, and she has now 24 career points, tied for sixth all time. Hellweg’s assists gives her 32 career points, and gives her sole possession of third place in program history.
After tying the match, the Grizzlies soon found themselves in the lead, as they benefitted from an own goal for the third time this season at the 15:24 mark to go up, 2-1,
Just as quickly as the Grizzlies had the lead, they lost it. One minute and 28 seconds after the own goal, the Preble scored her second of the match and season goal number six to bring things even once again.
However, Adams State would go into intermission with the lead. At the 43:34 mark, freshman defender Alex Sanderson lined up for a free kick from 40 yards out, and thinking the ball was headed wide UCCS keeper Sydney Reiners let the ball go. But Sanderson’s kick snuck its way inside the post, putting the Grizzlies up 3-2 and giving Sanderson her first career goal.
After the two teams combined for five goals in the first 45 minutes, the second half was quiet. The Mountain Lions took 12 of their 21 shots in the game after the break, but freshman Hannah Kohlts, who entered at the start of the second half in place of junior Oralia Gutierrez, made three saves. The only one that got past Kohlts was in the middle of a scramb;e in front of the net that Joern found to pull UCCS back even.
But overtime belonged to the Grizzlies. ASC took four shots in the extra period and kept the Mountain Lions from taking any before Drumm could make good on her penalty kick attempt.
Adams State held a narrow 22-21 advantage in shots in the match, and only put one more shot on goal than the Mountain Lions (8-7). Freshman Whitney Smith (Platte City, Mo.) led the Grizzlies with six shots, while Hellweg added five. Drumm, Kaylee Smith and freshman Kelli Williams each took three.
The Grizzlies’ final four games of the regulars season are each against teams they are chasing in the standings. This Friday they’ll host sixth-ranked Fort Lewis (13-1-1, 9-1-1 RMAC), currently leading the league with 28 points, at 3 p.m. on Murphy Field, and will host Colorado Mines (7-4-3, 6-3-1), currently fifth with 19 points, on Sunday at 1 p.m.
On the final weekend of the regular season, Adams State will be on the road against Regis, second in the RMAC with 27 points, on Friday, Oct. 29, and will then host the Lopers, whom the Grizzlies only trail by one point for the sixth and final RMAC tournament spot, on Oct. 31 for Senior Day.
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