MONMOUTH, Oregon – The sixth-ranked University of Colorado Colorado Springs Mountain Lions earn a 1-1 draw with Western Oregon University in their opening match of the 2024 fall season. Emily Aguilar for UCCS, and former Mountain Lion Ciara Garcia fill out the scoresheet in Oregon Thursday night.

INSIDE THE MATCH UP
Final:  UCCS 1, WOU 1
Records: UCCS 0-0-1 (0-0-0 RMAC), WOU 0-0-1 (0-0-0 GNAC)
Location: WOU Soccer Field | Monmouth, Ore.
Series: Western Oregon holds the 1-0-1 advantage in the all-time meetings between the two programs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Western Oregon, who plays a very run-and-gun brand of soccer, stayed true to their identity out of the gate and tested true freshman goalkeeper Alexa Malaspina in frame for UCCS. Malaspina stood tall in between the sticks for the Mountain Lions against several early threats from the Wolves to keep the game scoreless through the opening fifteen minutes.
• The Mountain Lions got their first scoring chance off a deep throw in with 20 minutes to go in the first frame, Mikaela Carlson tossed it into the penalty area, where graduate transfer Amelia McManus was taken down by a defender. A penalty attempt was awarded to UCCS, but junior Fie Steenberg rang her attempt off the post and away from danger for the Wolves.
• Just before the 13th minute passed, UCCS opened the scoring as a loose ball in the middle of the field was tipped over to Emily Aguilar. After taking a moment to settle the ball back on the turf, Aguilar looked for an outlet but wasn't able to identify a receiver. She instead unleashed a shot from nearly 30 yards out that clanged bar-down off the frame and in for the first goal of the season, giving UCCS the 1-0 lead.
• The Mountain Lions continued to control play for the final 15 minutes, with WOU only reaching the attacking third one time in the final quarter hour of the first half. Though both sides had some good looks down the stretch, the teams parted for the intermission with Aguilar's goal standing as the lone strike.
• As the second half commenced, the Mountain Lions earned the first shot of the period when senior captain Jadyn LeDoux went streaking down the right wing. She sent her chance along the turf towards the far post, but Wolves keeper Sophia Pierce was ready for it, keeping the deficit at one for the hosts.
• Moments later, the Mountain Lions were threatening again as Luka Johson broke into the attacking third but lost the handle in the penalty area. Peirce fumbled it in the box for the Wolves, but her defense was able to clear to the sideline for a throw in. Mikaela Carlson threw a set piece in from the sidelines on the restart that was just out of the range of Abby Stassi's header attempt and the Wolves escaped another UCCS chance.
• In the 65^th minute it was former Mountain Lion Ciara Garcia that found the equalizer for the Wolves as she blazed down the far wing then went across her body to tuck one inside the near post. The Mountain Lions raised questions about Garcia's significant separation behind the final defender, but the offside flag remained down, and the match was even at a goal apiece.
• The 81^st minute held the Wolves best chance to take the lead in the second when Kameron Wimstatt tested Alexa Malaspina in the Mountain Lion goalmouth, but a sprawling Malaspina robbed the chance and preserved the score at one goal each.
• A free kick in the 86^th minute for the Mountain Lions was the first promising opportunity for UCCS, but the Wolves stayed stoic in front of their cage, but the Mountain Lions weren't going to go away easy. They held possession in the WOU end, leading to a Jessica Rockwell shot that was high. Amelia McManus took another shot a moment later that was blocked out for a UCCS throw in, which set up Abby Stassi for a header, but her chance was saved by Sophia Pierce.
• Mikeala Carlson took the last-gasp freekick that the Mountain Lions were awarded in the final minute, but it wouldn't convert as UCCS earns a single point in their opening match, drawing with Western Oregon 1-1 to begin the season.

STATS FROM THE DAY

• Ten Mountain Lions made their debut in the black in gold Thursday night, with nine playing in their first Division II match.
• Alexa Malaspina earns UCCS a point in her collegiate debut, making four crucial saves to preserve the result for the Mountain Lions.
• Alexa Malaspina, Sela Freeman, Emily Aguilar, and Malia Groshong all played the entire 90 minutes for UCCS.

BEYOND THE BOX

• Emily Aguilar scored the first goal of UCCS' season, the fastest she has found the net to start the season in her career. (Previous fastest was her sixth appearance in 2023).
• Ciara Garcia scored her first goal at WOU against a UCCS program that she spent her freshman season at just last fall.
• The Wolves remain undefeated vs UCCS, moving to a record of 1-0-1 all-time vs the Mountain Lions after they defeated UCCS 2-1 in Colorado Springs last season.

UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions will remain in the northwest for the weekend as they travel to Bellingham, Wash. for a meeting with Western Washington University at 2 p.m. MDT on Sunday afternoon.

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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