COLORADO SPRINGS - The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs women's soccer team saw its winless streak climb to five Sunday with a 2-1 loss to the Colorado State-Pueblo Thunderwolves at Mountain Lion Stadium.
The Mountain Lions, who have lost four in a row, fell to 2-4-1 on the season and 0-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. CSU-Pueblo improved to 3-3-1, 2-1 in the RMAC.
The Mountain Lions opened the scoring with
Ashley Collinsâ€TM first goal of the season coming in the 22nd minute.
Kristin Preble managed to seal her defender inside, allowing her to run down a ball served from the midfield down the right side of the penalty area. Preble used her one-step advantage to roll a dangerous crossing pass in front of the goal.
"That was something that coach wanted us to do in this game, isolate the outsides," said Collins.
Becca Scheele was making a run toward the far post, but was nudged off the ball and couldn't get a foot on the ball. Instead of quitting on the play, though, Scheele quickly pivoted to her left, tracked down the ball and sent a pass to the top of the penalty area, hitting Collins in stride. The junior transfer from Air Force drilled an arcing shot into the upper right corner of the goal.
"Becca made an awesome run," said Collins. "I was wide open at the top of the 18 right down the middle."
The advantage would be short-lived. Just over 12 minutes later, Marli Martin sent a free kick from 30 yards across the goal mouth. Candice Duffy, who was making a far-post run, managed to kick up her right leg behind her, deflecting the ball off her calf and into the goal.
The game-winner came off a UCCS turnover in the 48th minute. CSU-Pueblo's Brittany Carver intercepted a careless pass, dribbled twice and nailed a laser from 20 yards out into the upper right corner.
"We let them dribble down the center uncontested, hence the second goal," said UCCS coach Nichole Rick.
The Mountain Lions applied pressure throughout the rest of the match but, while they were able to create scoring opportunities, could not finish.
"When we needed a sense of urgency, we were lacking that," said Rick. "We came out and expected to win purely on the fact that we were expected to win.
"Some individuals played great, but this isn't an individual sport."
Chrissy Mandarich (3-2-1) made five saves to earn the win.
Amie Kern (2-4-1) took the loss, making eight saves.
The win gives CSU-Pueblo an early advantage in the Steel & Silver rivalry series between the schools.
This season's Steel & Silver Series is on a new, "winner-take-all" points system. In each of the nine intercollegiate athletics programs that both schools sponsor "men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, men's golf, women's cross country, softball, volleyball, and women's track and field" the school that earns the most wins in head-to-head competition will be awarded four points. If the head-to-head competitions are split evenly, each school will be awarded two points. The school with the best cumulative grade point average among student-athletes in the school's common sports will also be awarded five points. The school with the most points at the end of the academic year will be awarded the Ent Federal Credit Union Trophy, with the presentation taking place in the home city of the winning school.
Because of the new system, no points will be awarded for women's soccer until the teams play in Pueblo on Oct. 12. A win or a tie on that date will give CSU-Pueblo all four points toward the trophy. A win by UCCS will halve the points between the two schools.
