(OFFICIAL 2018 RMAC TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCEMENT)
(2018 RMAC TOURNAMENT BRACKET - PDF)
(DSU vs. MSUD TICKET INFORMATION)

Dixie State closed the 2018 regular season with its record 11^th-shutout win of the season, and clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming RMAC postseason tournament, with a 4-0 victory over Western Colorado on Saturday afternoon at Dixie High's Flyer Field. The win, DSU's sixth-straight overall, moved the Trailblazers to 12-5-0 on the year, 8-5-0 in conference play.

DSU forced the issue offensively all match long as the Trailblazers had four great scoring chances in the first 12-plus minutes of play, but a pair of Whitley Johns (Gilbert, Ariz./Campo Verde HS) shots and a Kelsey Cook (American Fork, Utah/American Fork HS) blast were stopped by WCU keeper Emilie Eckhart, while another shot off the boot of Taylor Claiborne (Peoria, Ariz./Raymond S. Kellis HS) caromed off the post.

The Blazers continued to pepper the Mountaineer (4-12-1/4-8-1 RMAC) defense and Eckhart, who made seven saves through 33 minutes until Dixie State managed to push through the first goal at the 33:35 mark. Nichole Mertz (Springville, Utah/Springville HS) sent a somersault throw into the WCU penalty area, where Tori Page (Centerville, Utah/Viewmont HS) settled and fired a shot that ricocheted off a Mountaineer defender and into the lower left corner of the goal.

Dixie State would tack on three more goals in the second half, the first came in the 60^th-minute on a Claiborne chip that alluded Eckhart and bounded into the net. Page then struck again more than six minutes later with her second goal of the day from 4-yards out on a Jill Bennett (Salt Lake City, Utah/East HS) cross, and Mertz closed the scoring with her first goal of the season in her final regular season match when she punched in a corner kick played in by Cook.

As has been the case throughout the season the Trailblazer defense was once again stifling as DSU limited Western to two shot attempts, both came with under six minutes to play. Meanwhile, the Trailblazers rattled off a season high 20 shots on goal (31 total shots), including five off the boot of Johns.

"It was a great way to finish the regular season, I am delighted for the players as their hard work and dedication are paying off," said DSU Head Coach Gerry Lucey. "We have a fantastic group of players who make us want to exceed expectations and deliver every day. We've achieved some of our goals with this win but still have plenty more to fight for this season."

Dixie State will move on to host No. 5 seed MSU Denver at Trailblazer Stadium this Tuesday night, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m., in the RMAC quarterfinal round. The winner of that match will advance on to the conference semifinals and finals held Nov. 2-4, at the home site of the highest remaining seed. The Trailblazers and MSUD met earlier this season in St. George with DSU coming away with a 1-0 triumph over the then nationally-ranked Roadrunners (9/28/18).