PUEBLO, Colo. (March 16, 2021) – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's lacrosse team opened the home portion of its 2021 schedule with a 13-11 loss to Fort Lewis College in a nonconference contest at the Art and Lorraine Gonzales Stadium. 
 
The ThunderWolves (1-2) allowed three player-up goals due to an uncharacteristically high number of yellow cards and it proved to be the difference in the game. The Skyhawks (1-0) led in the ground ball category 30-27, while the Pack led 15-11 in draw controls. CSU Pueblo was 16-for-20 on its clear attempts and held Fort Lewis to a 19-of-31 effort. FLC had 35 shots with 28 on goal and the ThunderWolves totaled 26 shots with 22 landing on frame. 
 
Senior Emily Eller (A, Keller, Texas) tied her career high with six goals. She netted six goals last season against Ashland University on March 10. 
 
Senior defender Britney Smith (Oregon City, Ore.) led the team with a career-high eight ground balls, which propelled her past the 100 ground ball mark in her career. She also scored the first goal of her career. 
 
POSTGAME COMMENT
 
"We need to play 60 minutes," said Head Coach Monica Potter. "We came out firing and were controlling the game and then they came back and scored some goals after we took some really bad yellow cards. Fort Lewis really capitalized on that and it killed our momentum. We just have to play smart and cleaner. Our turnovers are killing us in these games. The team came back in the second half, but we really need 60 minutes. "
 
PLAYER PERFORMANCES
 
Eller scored the six goals on six shots. She also tied for the team lead with five draw controls. The senior led the team with three caused turnovers and picked up three ground balls. 
 
Senior Olivia Tener (M, Boise, Id.) scored three goals and added two draw controls. 
 
Caira Lessick (Fr., M, Oregon City, Ore.) brought in five draw controls and two ground balls, while also causing two turnovers. 
 
Off the bench, Gracie Anderson (Fr., M, Newberg, Ore.) netted a goal and dished out an assist. 
 
Senior Ane Marie Horton (G, Long Beach, Calif.) totaled 15 saves.
 
SUMMARY
 
The two teams traded goals for the first 10 minutes, as Smith's goal with 19:27 handed the Pack a 4-3 lead. Eller scored her second and third goals of the game during the next 10 minutes of game time to help the Pack lead 6-4 with 10:21 remaining in the opening half. 
 
Fort Lewis responded with four straight goals, one of which was player-up, to open an 8-6 advantage. With time ticking down, Eller raced to the cage and produced a goal with six seconds left to put the ThunderWolves down 8-7 at the break. 
 
Again the contest went into a back-and-forth affair to start the second half and with 11:05 remaining in the game, a Tener goal put the Pack behind 10-9. 
 
CSU Pueblo allowed a player-up goal with 7:53 left and then another tally right after the ThunderWolves were serving their yellow card and with 6:36 showing on the game clock the home team trailed 13-9. 
 
Tener scored her third of the game with 6:17 left and Eller capped her scoring with 3:42 remaining, but the ThunderWovles weren't able to complete the comeback in the two-goal loss. 
 
UP NEXT
 
The ThunderWolves remain home March 21 when they host a start-up program from Missouri Western University at 11 a.m. at Gonzales Stadium.

-- PACK --