PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo women's lacrosse opened its 10th season of competition here Thursday afternoon with a hard-fought 11-9 setback to the University of Findlay at the Art and Lorraine Gonzales Stadium.

The ThunderWolves (0-1) have now dropped three straight season openers since earning a 17-7 win at Maryville (Mo.) University to open the 2021 season. Findlay improved to 2-1 on the season as they completed their trip to Colorado with a 2-0 record as the Oilers collected a 13-9 win on Tuesday at UCCS.

CSU Pueblo held a 7-6 lead following an unassisted goal by freshman midfielder Reese Wasmund (Portland, Ore./West Linn) with 4:15 left in the third period, but Findlay used a goal by Tessa Chuba with 36 seconds left in the period to tie the score at 7-all heading into the final period.

In the fourth period, Findlay scored two straight goals in a span three minutes to take a 9-7 lead. After a free position goal by Wasmund with 9:57 left brought the Pack within 9-8, the Oilers scored two consecutive goals to take an 11-8 lead with three minutes remaining in the contest. The Pack closed the scoring with a free position goal by sophomore attacker Elise Magee (Port Moody, British Columbia/Dr. Charles Best Secondary) with 29 seconds left in the game.

Magee led the Pack with three goals in Thursday's opener, while Wasmund and graduate student midfielder Caira Lessick (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City) each tallied two goals in the loss.

Findlay scored six of the game's first 10 goals to lead 6-4 at the half, before the teams each scored five goals each in the second half.

Trailing 2-0 just two-plus minutes into the game, the Pack got on the scoreboard thanks to free position goal by Magee with 5:44 left in the opening period to cut UF's lead to 2-1.

Lessick would score the first of her two goals just 65 seconds into the second period to tie the game a 2-2. Lessick's goal came off an assist from sophomore attacker Audrey Allendorf (Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls).

The Oilers, though, responded with four straight goals from four different players to push its lead t 6-2 with 6:35 left in the second period.

CSU Pueblo would respond with goals by graduate student attacker Sedona Sargent (Bellingham, Wash./Sehome) and Lessick within 50 seconds of each other to help pull with Pack within 6-4 with 5:03 left in the period.

In the third period, the Pack used goals from senior midfielder Baylee Mee (Reno, Nev./Galena), Magee and Wasmund to take a 7-6 lead. The goal by Mee was assisted by Sargent.

Following Wasmund's goal, UF would score five of the final seven goals to cap the scoring.

For the game, the Pack were outshot, 31-30 as Wasmund, Lessick and Sargent all took six shots for the Pack, while Mee and Magee took five shots.

Chuba scored five of Findlay's 11 goals, while Madeline Shewbridge added four goals and two assists in the win. The Oilers also held a 23-22 edge in shots on goal.

The Pack won the ground ball battle, 14-13, but the Oilers held a 14-10 edge in caused turnovers. Freshman goalie Breonna Mason (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) had three caused turnovers and three ground balls.

The Pack were also 16-for-26 on clears, while Findlay was 13-for-23.

Both teams collected 12 draw controls in the game as Mee (7) and Lessick (4) combined for 11 for the Pack, while Chuba had five for the Oilers.

Mason had a strong collegiate debut in the cage for the Pack as she faced 31 shots and recorded 12 saves and allowed 11 goals, while Olivia Barkowski faced 30 shots and recorded 13 saves, allowed nine goals and had three caused turnovers and a ground ball.

The Pack will next be in action on Thursday, March 7 as they host Dominican University of California for a 4 p.m. game at ALG Stadium.