COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's soccer team win their first match of the 2023 season, as they dominate Southwestern Oklahoma State University 5-1 Sunday afternoon.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final:  SWOSU 1, UCCS 5
Records: SWOSU (0-3-1, 0-0-0 GAC), UCCS (1-2-1, 0-0-0 RMAC)
Location: Mountain Lion Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colorado
Series: UCCS improves to 2-0 in their all-time series against SWOSU. Winning one game in Colorado Springs, and one in Weatherford, Okla.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• UCCS got the scoring started right away as in the sixth minute of play when Syndey Lasater fired the ball into the right corner of the net, giving the Mountain Lions an early cushion.
• After struggling to sustain offense in the first two games of the year, the Mountain Lions kept the Bulldogs under pressure throughout the first half an hour of play, which paid off in the 21^st minute. After earning a corner kick, UCCS forward Fie Steenberg serviced the ball to the back post, where redshirt-senior Jade Kinsey was waiting. Kinsey placed a perfect header inside the near post and moved the advantage to two.
• Just four minutes later, the Mountain Lions were back for more and it was Anna Vince and Makayla Merlo playing a nifty two-woman game who pushed the lead to three. Streaking down the far sideline Merlo played it off for Vince who played it forward right back to Merlo to skip the defender, allowing Merlo to pick out the right corner of the goal for the third score for UCCS.
• Play was halted in the 38^th minute due to lightning surrounding Mountain Lion Field, but after a near 40-minute delay, play resumed.
• As the second half got underway, UCCS picked up right where they left off when Abby Barhydt fought her way past the left back and found forward Jadyn LeDoux in front. LeDoux wasted no time as she took just one touch to insert the ball inside the near post, giving the Mountain Lions the 4-0 lead.
• The Bulldogs finally found their way onto the scoresheet in the 71^st minute. A foul just to the right of the Mountain Lions' penalty area was whistled. Going quickly, the Bulldogs restarted play with a pass to Elvira Gunnarsson who ripped a shot inside the top right corner for the score.
• As the 90th minute closed in, UCCS went to work one last time. Leikela Lunt led a pass ahead of Ciara Garcia, who beat the defender and shot it far side and high to punctuate an explosive day for UCCS.

STATS FROM THE DAY

• The Mountain Lions outshot the Bulldogs 21 to 4, just the second time this season they outshot their opponent.
• Each goal was scored by a different player, with Lasater, Kinsey, Merlo, LeDoux, and Garcia all capturing goals.
• All 23 active players made an appearance for UCCS vs Southwestern Oklahoma.

 
BEYOND THE BOX

• Most goals scored for UCCS since Oct. 23^rd, 2022.
• Freshman goalkeeper Meg Covey made her collegiate debut, checking in for the final 13 minutes of action.
• With their goals in the game, both Jadyn LeDoux and Makayla Merlo move into the top-10 on the all-time goals list. Both now tied for ninth at 16 goals, joining Savannah Mills (active 2018-19).

UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions will return to action on Sunday, as they host Southwestern Oklahoma State. The game is scheduled to begin at Noon at Mountain Lion Stadium.

SOCIAL
Twitter - @GoMountainLions
Instagram - @gomountainlions 
Facebook – Go Mountain Lions
 
As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs competes in 14 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
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