PUEBLO, Colo. - A three goal performance from Mathew Cox was much needed by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (6-7-3 / 5-6-3 RMAC) as they beat Colorado State University-Pueblo (4-13-1 / 3-10-1 RMAC) 3-1 at the Rawlings Soccer Complex Sunday afternoon.

The Mountain Lions put their foot on the gas in the first few minutes and never let off.

In the 5th minute Cox collected his first goal on a shot that came after a rebound off the post.

His next goals came less than a minute apart when he banged one in off a pass from Taylor Ferguson in the 13th minute and turned around for another unassisted goal in the 14th minute.

And just like that it was 3-0 going into halftime.

CSU-Pueblo managed to tack on a goal late in the second-half when Bryce Joling found net in the 82nd minute, but it was too little too late.

This is the second hat trick by a UCCS player this season with the first also coming against CSU-Pueblo in the two teams meeting earlier this season. That player was Sebastian Hertzberg.

The hat trick only adds to what was already a great weekend for the Christchurch, New Zealand native as he came into the game with a pair of goals from Friday night's match against Colorado Christian. Cox's five goals are the most by a UCCS player in a single weekend this season.