COLORADO SPRINGS — Fort Lewis College goalkeeper Christine Schmelzle was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week today for the second week in a row and third time this season, RMAC Assistant Commissioner Sarah Meier announced today.

Schmelzle, a 5-foot-9 senior from Coconino High School in Flagstaff, Ariz., made eight saves in a 1-0 overtime win Sunday against Regis. The game marked her eighth shutout of the season as she played 95:48 between the posts. The Skyhawks clinched sole possession of their first-ever RMAC regular season women's soccer championship with the win.

“Best game of Cricket's career,” fourth-year head coach Damian Clarke said of his goalkeeper in a Durango Herald recap of the game. “She was an absolute monster.”

2010 has presented Schmelzle with a bevy of accolades. Just today, she was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Year, first team All-RMAC and first team CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District VII. She was also a Preseason All-RMAC selection and first team RMAC All-Academic performer during 2010 and was thrice named RMAC Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 7, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2).

As a junior in 2009, she was named Most Valuable Player of RMAC Tournament, was chosen to the All-RMAC and RMAC All-Academic second teams, received the D2 Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award, and was picked as RMAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 1, 2009.

The Skyhawks (16-1-1 overall, 12-1-1 RMAC) are ranked No. 3 in the latest NSCAA/HendrickCars.com NCAA Division II rankings. They host the 2010 RMAC women's soccer championships from Friday through Sunday at Dirks Field. FLC plays the winner of tomorrow's game between fourth-seeded Colorado Mines (10-5-3, 9-4-1) and fifth-seeded Metro State (12-4-2, 8-4-2) at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The other semifinal pits league runner-up Regis (13-5-1, 10-3-1) against the winner of tomorrow's match between third-seeded New Mexico Highlands (11-5-2, 9-3-2) and sixth-seeded UC-Colorado Springs (8-9-1, 5-8-1).