PORTALES, N.M. -- Bryan Stoeber got the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs' 2007 soccer season off to a promising start with a goal in the seventh minute Friday, but a pair of second-half scores by the St. Mary's Rattlers sent the Mountain Lions to a 2-1 defeat.

Stoeber's score on a pass by Greg Packer gave UCCS a 1-0 lead that lasted into halftime. Stoeber accounted for four of the Mountain Lions' five shots in the match.

St. Mary's evened the score in the 55th minute when Kris Sumpter bent the ball around the defensive wall on a free kick and drilled it into the corner of the net. The Rattlers took the lead in the 73rd minute when David Peterson knocked in a crossing pass by Scott Kilpatrick.

St. Mary's managed 15 shots in the match, only four of which were on goal. UCCS had three shots on goal, all by Stoeber.

Freshman Mark Howard went the distance in goal for UCCS and had two saves.

The Mountain Lions will play Eastern New Mexico, which also played host to Friday's match, on Sunday.