COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's soccer team won an overtime thriller to take down Westminster University in the RMAC Quarterfinals Sunday afternoon.
 
INSIDE THE MATCH-UP
Final: UCCS 2, WU 1
Records: UCCS (13-2-4, 9-1-3 RMAC), WU (7-4-6, 4-4-3 RMAC)
Facility: Mountain Lion Stadium | Colorado Springs, Colo.
All-Time Series: With Sunday's win the Mountain Lions lead Westminster 10-4-2 in the all-time series.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first scoring opportunity of the game came in the 17^th minute as Brooke Pavlich got an open short past the goalie, however, it hit off the goalpost and ultimately ended out of bounds.
• In the 19^th minute the Griffins had their own scoring opportunity, but an incredible diving save by Nylah Mirshafiei kept the game scoreless.
• Westminster scored first in the 42^nd minute as Natalie Cardin headed the ball past Mirshafiei to take a 1-0 lead late in the first half.
• Taylynn Levi knotted the game up just a minute later, sneaking the ball past Griffin goalkeeper Marin Mackenzie to send the game into halftime tied 1-1.
• The Mountain Lions threatened for the lead in the 68^th minute after a well-placed cross from Elise Broberg, but the following shot sailed high, ending the attack.
• Kim Hendrickson had a breakaway opportunity for Westminster in the 73^rd minute, but Mirshafiei ran up and eliminated the Griffin scoring opportunity before Hendrickson got a shot off.
• Luka Johnson had her own breakaway scoring opportunity in the 80^th minute that was saved by Mackenzie before a Westminster defender sent the ball out of bounds to end the attack.
• Abby Stassi nearly scored a game winning goal in the 88^th minute but after missing wide right the playoff match went into overtime.
• The only scoring opportunity of the first overtime came from a UCCS corner kick, but Marin Mackenzie rose up and intercepted the kick before a Mountain Lion could redirect it towards the goal.
• Stassi netted the game winning goal in the 107^th minute as she headed the ball past Mackenzie to push UCCS into the RMAC Semifinals.

STATS FROM THE GAME

• UCCS lead Westminster in total shots (18 to 12) and shots on goal (6 to 3). The Mountain Lions also controlled the ball for 55% of the game to the Griffins 45%.
• Eight Mountain Lions persevered through all 107 minutes of the match with a ninth playing over 90 minutes.
• Taylynn Levi was involved in both goals, scoring her own in the 43^rd minute and assisting on Abby Stassi's game winning goal.
• The Mountain Lions join Colorado School of Mines as the only teams to score multiple goals against Westminster this season. Coming into today Westminster had allowed only six goals all year.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Mountain Lions have now seen four of their 16 games against Westminster go into overtime. They are 3-1 against the Griffins in such games.
• Abby Stassi's game winning goal was her 15^th on the season. She is now tied with Anna Gregg in 2018 for the program single season goal record.
• UCCS will look to get revenge against Colorado School of Mines after losing to them in the RMAC Semifinals last year.

 
UP NEXT

• The Mountain Lions will take on Colorado School of Mines in the RMAC Semifinals on Wednesday, November 12^th. The match will take place at CMU Community Hospital Unity Field at 7 p.m. (MT)

 
SOCIAL
X – @GoMountainLions
Instagram – @gomountainlions
Facebook – /GoMountainLions
 
For everything UCCS Athletics, follow the Mountain Lions on social media and stay tuned to gomountainlions.com.
 
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.
  Read Full Article