PUEBLO, Colo. (April 14, 2019) - The Colorado State University-Pueblo women's lacrosse team let a five minute lapse determine the outcome of a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference home game Sunday against Westminster College. With the game tied 5-5 early in the second half, the Griffins rattled off four goals in just over four minutes to open a 9-5 lead, which would stretch to 10-5 before the final horn sounded with the road team victorious, 13-9. 

The ThunderWolves (4-8, 1-5 RMAC) won the majority of the statistical categories against the Griffins (3-7, 3-3 RMAC). In the end, both teams totaled 30 shots with 26 shots on goal by WC and 22 by the Pack. CSU-Puebo totaled 30 ground balls to the Griffins' 22 and the home team held a 14-10 advantage in draw controls. The ThunderWolves totaled 12 free position shots and scored three times on those opportunities, while the Griffins had just four shots and one goal in those situations. Both teams had 22 turnovers. 

Westminster's keeper proved to be vital in the victory with 17 saves, while Pack goalie Ane Marie Horton (Long Beach, Calif.) finished with nine saves. 

Seven different players netted a goal for the ThunderWolves, as senior Taylor Christensen (M, Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished with two goals and a team-best three points. She led the team with seven shots, seven draw controls and three caused turnovers. The senior added three ground balls. 

Sophomore Emily Eller (A, Keller, Texas) scored twice on a pair of free position shots. She added two ground balls, a caused turnover and a draw control. 

Freshman Caylie Wagner (A, Scottsdale, Ariz.) finished with two points on a goal and an assist. She picked up two ground balls. Fellow freshman Ashley Hendricks (Fr., D, Hood River, Ore.) scored her first collegiate goal and added a ground ball and a draw control. 

On the defensive end, junior Britney Smith (Oregon City, Ore.) gathered a team-best four ground balls and sophomore Emily Brewer (St. Louis, Mo.) had three ground balls and a caused turnover.

The ThunderWolves came out and won the opening minutes of the game with goals by Chirstensen 45 seconds in and a player-down goal by freshman Tayllor Deim (M, Eagle, Idaho) with three minutes gone. Westminster scored with 21 minutes remaining in the first half to make it 2-1 and that is where it remained until Hendricks netted her first-career goal on a free position shot with 9:52 left. 

The Griffins woke up in the final five minutes of play and scored three goals to open a 4-3 lead with just 28 ticks on the clock. Eller responded and scored her first of the day with only five seconds left to tie the game at 4-4, as the teams headed to halftime. 

WC scored first in the second frame, but just 18 seconds later, Christensen scored again and the game was tied at six just minutes into the second half. A goal with 26:28 left in regulation started the scoring streak for the Griffins, as they rattled off four in a span of 4:17 to break open the game, 9-5. Another tally with 19 minutes left had the road team ahead 10-5 before a Wagner goal with 16:05 showing would stop the bleeding. 

The two teams traded goals to move the score to 11-7 with 6:42 left, but two consecutive goals by WC pushed its lead to 13-7. The Pack scored twice in the final two minutes, but it wouldn't be enough, as they suffered their fourth straight setback. 

Next up is the final home game of the season, set for April 20 at 12 p.m. against Fort Lewis College. The RMAC contest will also serve as Senior Day for three Pack seniors.

– 30 –

As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.