SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Colorado State University Pueblo got hat tricks from three players and five players scored a total of 16 goals as the ThunderWolves opened Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play here Friday evening with a hard-fought 21-18 setback to Westminster College at Dumke Field.

With the setback, CSU Pueblo falls to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the RMAC, while Westminster opens the season 1-0 overall and 1-0 in the league. The Pack, who are directed by first-year head coach Taylor Christensen, will conclude its two-game road trip to open RMAC play with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday, March 12 at 24th-ranked Colorado Mesa.

Two days after scoring 12 goals in suffering a 14-12 loss at home to Lewis to open the season, the Pack's offense was even stronger in Friday's RMAC opener as the Pack recorded season highs in goals (18), shots (29), shots on goal (27), ground balls (22), and clears (14).

Friday's game was delayed nearly an hour with about six minutes to play in the game with Westminster holding an 18-17 lead due to lightning. When the game resumed, Westminster would score three of the final four goals to seal its season opening win.

The hat tricks in Friday's game were recorded by junior midfielder Baylee Mee (Reno, Nev./Galena), sophomore attacker Parker Delp (Kent Island, Wash./Kent Island) and senior midfielder Sedona Sargent (Bellingham, Wash./Sehome) as all three of those players scored four goals each in the game. Senior midfielder Caira Lessick (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City) and freshman midfielder Elise Magee (Port Moody, British Columbia/Dr. Charles Best Secondary) each had two goals against the Griffins.

Much like Wednesday's season opener against Lewis, the Pack held a lead at one point after halftime as they led 13-11 with 2:16 left in the third period following back-to-back goals by Magee.

That would be the final lead of the game for the Pack as the Griffins scored two goals in a span of minute to tie the game at 13-all heading into the fourth period. In the final period, Westminster scored the first three goals in the period to push in front 16-13 with 10:24 left in the game.

CSU Pueblo wouldn't go away, though, as they scored four of the next six goals when the lightning delay came following a goal with 6:06 left in the period by Mee. In addition to Mee, Delp scored two goals and freshman midfielder Katie Schimpf (Edmonds, Wash,/Edmonds Woodway) added a goal in that span.

When play resumed following the nearly hour-delay, Lauren Shoughro scored an unassisted goal with 4:28 left in the game to give Westminster a 19-17 lead. A goal about 44 seconds later by Delp brought the Pack within 19-18, but Lauren Shoughro and Shaina Shoughro scored goals in the final two-plus minutes of the game to seal Westminster's win.

Westminster jumped out to a 5-0 lead just three-plus minutes into the game, before goals by Sargent, Lessick and Delp brought the Pack within 5-3 with 9:17 left in the opening period. The Griffins, though, would close the opening period by scoring three of the final four goals to lead 8-4 after 15 minutes of play.

The Pack would outscore the Griffins, 5-2, in the second period to push within 10-9 at the half. Mee and Sargent each scored two goals in the period, while Lessick scored the other goal for the Pack.

Trailing 10-9 heading into the third period, Mee and Sargent would score two of the first three goals of the period to tie the game at 11-all, before Magree would score goals at 8:24 and 2:16 of the period to give the Pack its only leads of the game at 12-11 and 13-11.

Westminster got nine goals from Lauren Shoughro, while her sister, Shaina Shoughro added four goals in the win. Ruina Paige, Hannah Kellenher and Hunter Doyle each had two goals.

The Pack were outshoot, 33-29, including 28-27 in shots on goal. Mee and Sargent each took six shots, while Delp and Magee had five shots in the loss.

CSU Pueblo won the ground ball battle, 22-20, including Lessick picking up six in the game and also held a 14-13 advantage in draws with Lessick winning 10 of those draws.

Both teams recorded 14 clears each as CSU Pueblo was 14-for-19 on clears and Westminster was 14-for-17 on clears.

The teams combined for just eight turnovers in the game as the Pack had five and the Griffins recorded three.

Sophomore Naomi Price-Burton (Aurora, Colo./Grandview) recorded seven saves and allowed 21 goals on the night, while Gabriella Cheminant played all 60 minutes in goal for Westminster as she had nine saves to go along with 18 goals allowed.