PUEBLO, Colo. (March 22, 2022) - The Colorado State University Pueblo Women's lacrosse team (0-5) was outlasted by McKendree University (5-3) at home Friday night to a tune of 19-18. The wire-to-wire thrilling match saw the ThunderWolves fall, but the team was still helped to by a six-goal performance by Ashley Hendricks and a hat trick from Emily Eller. The Eller hat trick also marked the senior's 100th career goal.

The thriller saw action early and often from each side. Hendricks drew first blood for the Pack less than a minute into the match and was soon followed up by a Sedona Sargent goal with 12:17 to go in the first quarter. 

Baylee Mee scored off a free position shot with 10:45 to go in the quarter and gave the Pack their largest lead of the evening at 3-1. McKendree was soon able to tie things up at 3-3 with 9:23 remaining in the frame.

Sargent regained the lead for the ThunderWolves after finding the back of the net once more but was followed by a quick answer from the Bearcats. Hendricks slipped the Pack's fifth goal by the McKendree keeper and kept the ThunderWolves energized and on the attack.

The Bearcats logged three unanswered goals before Parker Delp ended the run with her first goal of the evening.

Trailing 7-6 after the opening quarter, the Pack looked for another answer. Delp received the feed from Mee and slung in her second goal of the contest.

Eller and Hendricks then marked two more goals to take a 9-8 lead with 10:52 to go in the half. Another three-goal run silenced the home crowd late in the first half and put the Pack trailing 11-9 at the break.

Hendricks came out of the locker room firing and received another assist from Mee to tack on the Pack's 10th goal of the night. Eller later fired in a free position shot to pull Pack back within one.

The Bearcats continued to score of the Pack defense and expanded their lead to an eventual four-goal lead. Caira Lessick reenergized the Pack toward the end of the quarter with two goals to her credit and took CSU Pueblo to the fourth, trailing 15-13.

The fourth quarter came about and the Bearcats' attackers continued to score. Hendricks snuck another goal past the keeper and kept the ThunderWolves within two scores with 12:16 to go in the contest.

McKendree refused to relent its attack and regained a three-goal advantage with 11:14 remaining. Despite that fact, the ThunderWolves jumped on a three-goal run to even it up at 17-17. Hendricks, Paige Scarbrough and Eller each added goals to their rallies during the run.

Eller's third goal of the night also marked her 100th score of her career. 

After the Bearcats retook the lead, Lessick evened it at 18-18 with 4:03 to go in the fourth quarter. 

CSU Pueblo's defense surrendered only one goal in the final four minutes, but unfortunately, it was the difference maker. McKendree shut down one final Pack push as time wound down and doomed CSU Pueblo to a 19-18 loss.

Hendricks logged a season-high six goals to highlight the Pack evening. Lessick and Eller also scored season-highs with three goals apiece while Mee dished out three assists.

CSU Pueblo's 18 goals are the most scored in the young season and sends the team into its next game in a positive direction. The Pack look to claim their first victory Monday in Colorado Springs, Colo. at 2 p.m., as CSU Pueblo faces UCCS in another RMAC showdown.