PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo began its final homestand of the 2024 season here Saturday afternoon as their second half rally fell short as the ThunderWolves suffered a 13-9 setback to Fort Lewis College in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action at ALG Stadium.
 
With Saturday's loss, the Pack fell to 2-10 overall and remain winless in league play with an 0-8 record, while Fort Lewis improved to 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the league.
 
Saturday's game was the first of three consecutive games to close the regular season for the Pack as they host UCCS next Friday, April 26 and seventh-ranked Regis on Sunday, April 28. The game next Friday with UCCS will serve as Senior Day for the Pack.
 
In Saturday's game, which was the first home game for the Pack since March 17, the Pack were outscored 8-2 in the first half, before outscoring the Skyhawks, 7-5, in the second half, including outscoring FLC 5-3 in the third period to pull within 11-7 heading into the final period.
 
The Pack's goals came from four different players freshman attacker Clara Drinkwater (North Kingstown, R.I./North Kingstown) nearly doubled her season goal total as she scored a season-high three goals. In addition to Drinkwater, who has now scored seven goals on the year, senior midfielder Baylee Mee (Reno, Nev./Galena), sophomore attacker Elise Magee (Port Moody, British Columbia/Dr. Charles Best Secondary) and freshman attacker Leeah Carmine (Boise, Idaho/Bishop Kelly) each scored two goals. Mee added two assists for four points, while Magee had an assist for three points. Her two assists pushed her career total to 32, which is third-most on the school's all-time charts.
 
After Magee scored the first goal of the game off an assist from graduate student midfielder Caira Lessick (Oregon City, Ore./Oregon City) just 23 seconds into the contest, Fort Lewis reeled off six straight goals to take a 6-1 lead with 9:29 left in the second period. The Skyhawks led 3-1 after the first period.
 
Following FLC's scoring run, the Pack used a goal by Mee that was assisted by sophomore attacker Audrey Allendorf (Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) to pull within 6-2 with 5:29 left in the second period. The Skyhawks would score the final two goals of the period to take an 8-2 halftime lead.
 
The Pack, though, responded as they opened the third period with back-to-back goals from Carmine and Drinkwater to drop FLC's lead to 8-4 with 13:30 left in the period. The two teams would then close the period by each scoring three goals to give FLC an 11-7 lead. Drinkwater scored two of the goals, while Mee's goal off an assist by Magee with 51 seconds left cap the scoring in the third period.
 
Carmine added her second goal of the game just three-plus minutes into the fourth period to pull the Pack within 11-8. Carmine's goal was assisted by freshman midfielder Sophia Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley).
 
The Skyhawks would add two insurance goals to push its lead to 13-8 with 2:47 left in the game. Magee would score an unassisted goal with seven seconds left to cap the scoring.
 
The Pack were outshot, 38-26, including 26-18 in shots on goal. Magee led the way with eight shots, while Drinkwater and Mee each took four shots. All four those shots were on goal for both Drinkwater and Mee.
 
CSU Pueblo won the ground ball battle, 32-28, as freshman goalie Breonna Mason (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) led the way with nine ground balls, while Magee had six and added seven draw controls as the Pack also held a 14-11 edge in draw controls.
 
Both teams each had 22 clears on the day as the Pack were 22-for-31 and Fort Lewis was 22-for-28.
 
The Pack were credited with 17 caused turnovers, including three by Mee and two each from five other players.
 
Fort Lewis got its 13 goals from eight different players as Mikki Brown finished with four goals, while Caprietta Abbadessa added three goals in the win. Abbadessa, Sydney Tannaci and JoJo Lutz each had three draw controls.
 
Mason played all 60 minutes in goal for the Pack and finished with 13 saves to push her season total to 132, which is 22 saves shy of the school's single season record of 154 saves set by Ana Marie Horton in 2018. Mason also added nine ground balls and two caused turnovers.
 
Caley Lay played the first three periods in goal for the Skyhawks and finished with eight saves, two ground balls and two caused turnovers. Olivia Tilbury played the final period in goal and had one save, allowed one goal, and tallied a ground ball.