DENVER, Colo. – Staunch defense in the first half led the University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's lacrosse team to take a 5-3 lead into halftime at No. 16 Regis University, but the Rangers came back in the second half to avoid the upset, 11-10.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
- Final Score: L, 10-11
- Records: UCCS (6-3, 3-2 RMAC) | RU (6-4, 4-1 RMAC)
- Facility | Location: Regis Turf Fields | Denver, Colo.
- All-Time Series: The Mountain Lions moved to 0-13 all-time against the Rangers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER: UCCS 3, RU 0
- Erica Rivera broke nearly six minutes of scoreless action when she netted the first goal of the game off the free position at 9:12 in the opening stanza. Five minutes later, Rivera found Sydnee-Anne Moeller cutting into the attack zone for a player-up goal and a 2-0 UCCS lead. With just 32 seconds left in the first quarter, Kendra Knutson picked up a ground ball from goalkeeper Jordyn Nuñez's save that led to Sofia Watts juking out a defender to give the Mountain Lions a 3-0 lead after 15 minutes.
SECOND QUARTER: RU 3, UCCS 2
- The Rangers' Shea Murphy put the home team on the scoreboard after nearly 18 minutes without a goal. UCCS responded with another Nuñez that led to Jade Wilson driving down two-thirds of the field and firing a shot on goal. Wilson's shot was saved but picked up by Watts who put it in the back of the net, giving the black and gold a 4-1 lead. After a free-position goal from Regis, Nuñez made another save between the posts, which quickly turned into a ground ball by Meghan Weiss who hustled down the left sideline, leading to an eventual goal by Rivera. Regis added their second free-position goal of the quarter to cut into UCCS' lead at halftime, 5-3.
THIRD QUARTER: RU 5, UCCS 2
- Four minutes into the second half, the reigning RMAC Offensive Player of the Week, Sarah Urbanic, converted on a free-position shot from the right center to record her 15th career free-position goal. The Mountain Lions' 6-3 lead was short-lived as the blue and yellow netted two straight goals before Moeller won the ensuing draw control, churning the offense in Urbanic's second straight goal for a 7-5 Mountain Lion lead. Regis responded and scored three straight goals to end the third quarter while snagging their first lead of the game, 8-7.
FOURTH QUARTER: UCCS 3, RU 3
- Urbanic was just getting warmed up with her two goals in the third quarter as she scored the equalizer goal off a free position shot and followed with a go-ahead goal, 9-8, scoring four straight goals for UCCS. The Rangers tied the game for the third time of the afternoon, 9-9, with 11:40 left in regulation, and held on to avoid the upset, sealing the win on their home turf, 11-10.
FINAL SCORE: RU 11, UCCS 10
GAME STATISTICS
- Urbanic finished the game with a game-high four points and four goals, as seven of her 12 shots landed on goal.
- Rivera and Watts each chipped in two goals apiece as Rivera added an assist and two caused turnovers. Watts also registered two caused turnovers and picked up three ground balls.
- Knutson led both teams with seven ground balls and a team-high three caused turnovers.
- Nunez played all 60 minutes in goal, making nine saves for a .450 saves percentage.
- UCCS outshot the Rangers, 33-26, including 24-20 shots on goal. The Mountain Lions also edged Regis in ground balls, 26-22, and were successful on 16-of-22 clear attempts.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- The first quarter shutout marks the first time in program history the Mountain Lions have held Regis scoreless in a quarter.
- Urbanic tallied her third straight hat trick and the seventh of her career. She also posted a new season high in shots (12).
- Urbanic's four-goal performance moved her into the UCCS top-10 list for career goals. She now has 59 goals, ranking her ninth overall. Her 12 shot attempts and seven shots on goal also put her in the top 10 all-time list with 129 shots (ninth) and 92 shots on goal (10th).
- Knutson moves up to fourth all-time in ground balls (91).
- The one goal difference in today's result is the closest the two teams have played each other.
UP NEXT
- UCCS returns home to host Colorado State University Pueblo on Friday, April 4 at 4 p.m. The Mountain Lions will be giving away free Storm the Stadium t-shirts to the first 75 fans.
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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.
