Colorado Springs - The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs women's soccer team lost 3-1 to New Mexico Highlands Friday night.

It was a physical and emotional game at Mountain Lion Stadium. There were three cards given, both benches were heated and, due to injuries, a girl from each team had to be carried off of the field.

Amongst all of this turmoil there actually was some soccer played. The first goal didn't come until the 12th minute when Highland's Arianna Strickland had her cross blocked by UCCS and the ball went to Julissa Rodriguez who put the ball in the back of the net, it was Strickland's third assist this year.

Ten minutes later, Strickland got a goal of her own, her seventh of the year, off of a penalty kick.

The second half started with the Mountain Lions down 2-0 but they came out determined and put constant pressure on the Cowgirl goal keeper. UCCS outshot Highlands 16 to 9 in the game and in the 58th minute Sara Palizzi broke the shutout with an unassisted goal from the far right side.

UCCS had all the momentum and looked like they could come back but with just twenty minutes to play Julissa Rodriguez scored her second demoralizing goal of the evening off a double assist from Krista Mashak and Brooke Schmelter. It was Rodriguez' team leading eighth goal of the season and Mashak and Schmelter's third and first assists respectively.

With the loss, the Mountain Lions fall to 6-7-1 this year but get back on the field to redeem themselves in two short days as they host a struggling Adams State team on Sunday and try to get back to .500.