PUEBLO, Colo. (March 31, 2019) – A slow start doomed the Colorado State University-Pueblo women's lacrosse team Sunday, as the ThunderWolves fell to No. T-12 Colorado Mesa University by the score of 15-9 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest at Art and Lorraine Gonzales Stadium. 
 
The Mavericks (10-1, 4-1 RMAC) jumped out to a 9-1 lead through the first 20 minutes of game time and the Pack (4-5, 1-2 RMAC) just wouldn't be able to recover.
 
In the end, CMU totaled 31 shots with 28 on goal, while the ThunderWolves posted 18 shots and with 12 on frame. CSU-Pueblo had more ground balls (26-25), but the Mavericks had the edge in the circle with more draw controls (15-11). The home team totaled 10 free position shots and scored four times on those attempts, while the visitors went 1-for-4. Turnovers were a problem for both teams, as the Pack had 33, while the road team totaled 24. 
 
Sophomore Emily Eller (A, Keller, Texas) netted a hat trick, which included two goals on free position shots, to guide the Pack offense. She also added two caused turnovers and a ground ball. 
 
Sophomore Olivia Tener (A, Boise, Idaho) scored twice on three shots on goal and led the team with six draw controls. She also added two caused turnovers and a ground ball. 
 
Four other players finished with one goal, which included senior midfielder Taylor Christensen (Colorado Springs, Colo.). She had one goal on two shots on net with one assist. The senior also tied for the team-high with six ground balls, picked up two draw controls and had one caused turnover, which was the 100th caused turnover of her career. 
 
Sophomore Emily Brewer (D, St. Louis, Mo.) tied with Christensen with six ground balls and added two caused turnovers with one assist. Junior Britney Smith (D, Oregon City, Ore.) picked up five ground balls with two caused turnovers.
 
Senior goalie Ane Marie Horton (Long Beach, Calif.) totaled 13 saves in the loss.
 
CMU got up 3-0 in the first five minutes, but a goal by junior Elyse Ingram (M, San Jose, Calif.) briefly stopped the Mavericks' momentum when she tallied her 14th goal of the season on a free position shot with 23:08 left. 
 
Unfortunately, Colorado Mesa would post the next six goals and lead 9-1 with 9:28 remaining in the opening half. Eller scored her first on an assist from Christensen with four minutes left, then she scored again on a free position shot with 38 ticks left. CMU sandwiched a goal in between and the nationally-ranked Mavericks led 10-3 at the half. 
 
CSU-Pueblo won the second half 6-5, but the closest it ever got was five at 14-9 with just minutes remaining. Christensen scored the first goal of the second, just 40 seconds in, but the road team responded with two goals of their own. Eller scored her third on a free position shot with 23:13 remaining to move the score to 12-5. 
 
CMU responded within the next minute and then there was no scoring until senior attack Allison Wurscher (Tigard, Ore.) potted a goal with 14:42 remaining. Freshman Tayllor Deim (M, Eagle, Idaho) tallied an assist on the play. This time it only took the Mavericks 30 seconds to respond and with 14:18 remaining, they led 14-6. 
 
The ThunderWolves never trialed by more than eight and sealed that stat when they scored the next three goals to move the score to 14-9. Tener got on the board on a dish from Brewer with 9:07 remaining, then freshman Caylie Wagner (A, Scottsdale, Ariz.) scored on a free position shot with 2:58 left. Thirty seconds later Tener scored a player-up goal, assisted by Wurscher.
 
The Mavericks capped the scoring with 59 seconds left to secure the 15-9 RMAC win. 
 
After four straight at home, the ThunderWolves now hit the road to Missouri with conference games against Rockhurst University, April 5 at 3 p.m. MT and No. 6 Lindenwood University, April 7 at 12 p.m. MT. 

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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.