PUEBLO, Colo. (April 3, 2015 – Michael Liptak) - In its home finale, the Colorado State University-Pueblo women's lacrosse team took down Adams State University, 9-8, in a thriller at the Art and Lorraine Gonzales Lacrosse Complex Friday night. With the score tied 8-8,Allye Webb (Fr., M, Colorado Springs, Colo.) scored the game-winning goal for the ThunderWolves with 2:14 remaining in regulation.
With the victory the Pack improve to 4-8 in their inaugural season, while the Grizzlies remain winless, dropping to 0-8.
Alix Zierden (Fr., M, Elk River, Minn.) led CSU-Pueblo with her third hat-trick of the season, extending her goal streak with at least one goal to 10 straight games. The three goals pushed Zierden's season total to 18. Behind Zierden, two ThunderWolves reached the back of the net twice. Daniella Calvo (Fr., D, Spring, Texas) had a career-high two markers, while Webb was the other to reach the two-goal mark.Calvo paced the team in ground balls with three and draw controls with five. Rachael Welzin (Fr., M, Farmington, Minn.) and Kiana Kelii (Fr., A, Bloomington, Minn.) rounded out the scoring for the home team with one goal apiece.
In goal, the Pack's Nicole Burkhauser (Fr., Auburn, Wash.) gave up a season-low eight goals, while tallying eight saves en route to the victory.
ASU's Kendra Cheda had a game-high four tallies, while Jessica Hammer had two and Qiana Barfield notched one.
For the contest, CSU-Pueblo had the advantage in shots on goal, 17-15, and in draw controls, 11-8. The Grizzlies held the edge in caused turnovers, 9-6, and ground balls, 15-12.
CSU-Pueblo wasted no time jumping on the Grizzlies, as they opened on a 2-0 run six minutes into the match with a goal each coming from Zierden and Kelii. ASU responded with two-straight tallies over the next 4:30 to tie the contest with 19:17 remaining in the first half.
Both squads traded two goals each to close the opening half. Welzin notched her lone tally, then Cheda responded to re-tie the game. Calvo scored 14 seconds later to retake the advantage with 2:18 left in the period. ASU stay calmed and scored with 1:21 before intermission for a 4-4 tie at halftime.
The Grizzlies reached the scoreboard off a Hammer score to take their first lead of the game 14 seconds into the second-half. Webb answered 47 seconds later to even it up 5-5 with 1:01 elapsed in the half. After 6:31 of gameplay in the second half, Zierden tallied her second goal of the match for the Pack to regain the advantage, at 6-5. The Grizzlies kept coming back, as Cheda accumulated her fourth and final goal of the game to even it up 6-6 with 10:04 remaining in the contest.
The ThunderWolves responded quickly as Calvo snagged the ensuing draw control and raced down the field and scoring a mere 12 seconds later to move the home team back in front, at 7-6. Zierden scored her final goal of the match with 8:50 to go in the contest to give the Pack a two-score cushion, at 8-6. ASU responded with two straight tallies to even the game at eight with 6:04 left in the second half.
The teams went back-and-forth defensively over the next 3:50 of game time, before Webb broke through with the eventual game-winning goal. Both squads clawed away at each other, but the ThunderWolves didn't budge and held on for a final score of 9-8.
Next up, CSU-Pueblo travels to Colorado Mesa University April 11 for a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game, beginning at 7 p.m.
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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.
