A pair of second-half goals was enough to pull out the win as the CSU-Pueblo Thunderwolves defeated the University of Colorado Colorado Springs 2-1 Wednesday evening at Mountain Lion Stadium.

In what proved to be another physically contested contest between these two rivals in the Steel & Silver Series, the Mountain Lions were unable to capitalize on any of their 14 first-half shots as both teams left the scoreboard empty at half.

Despite the large shot discrepancy (UCCS 27 shots, CSU-Pueblo 11) the Thunderwolves were able to grab a long distance goal in the 60th minute when Gabby Gonzales hooked up Alicia Irwin who then drove a shot high and left from 20 yards out over the out-stretched hand of UCCS keeper Kelly Schroeder.

The Thunderwolves continued to do more damage with fewer shots when Alexis DeLaCruz took what seemed like an ambitious attempt on goal from almost 25 yards out that snuck past Schroeder for goal in the 78th minute.  Assisting on the play was Morgan Purkey with her second assist of the season.

To the Mountain Lions credit though, they never gave up.

With less than two minutes to play Senior Candice Buckles broke free for a one on one with CSU-Pueblo goalkeeper Savannah Thompson who could not collect save number 11 as Buckles scored her team-leading fourth goal of the season.

Buckles goal brought the home crowd back to life for a moment but it wasn't enough as UCCS (7-5, 3-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) dropped its second home conference game in four days.

"This is something that we have to learn from, this is something we have to drive from," said UCCS coach Nichole Ridenour. "The March is a great experience for our team and everything, but we got amped up to the point where we lost direction, we lost our composure and we just started playing with energy without direction. It's something that we train for but the moment got the best of us."

The win puts CSU-Pueblo (5-6-1, 2-5-1 RMAC) in position to nip at the Mountain Lions heels, but UCCS still controls its own destiny this weekend heading on the road to face New Mexico Highlands and Adams State.

"The games this weekend we're really excited for and we're really looking forward to but they're must wins for us," said Ridenour.

"Now we're on the road and we have no choice, we have to push and we have to win."