ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Freshman attacker Moira Turpen (Newberg, Ore./Newberg) scored four goals in her collegiate debut to lead the Colorado State University Pueblo women's lacrosse team's efforts in its 19-7 season-opening setback here Sunday against Missouri Western University.
 
Turpen's four goals are tied for the second-most goals scored by a Pack player in a season opener since the program began in 2015 and the first time a player scored at least four goals in a season opener since Emily Eller scored five goals in a 17-7 win over Maryville to open the 2021 season. In addition to Eller's five goals, the other Pack players to score four goals in a season opener were Leah Neumann against Fort Lewis in 2016, Alix Zierden against Fort Lewis to open both the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and Olivia Tener against Maryville to open the 2021 season.

"The game today was a great opportunity to see what we need to improve on. It was exciting to see our freshmen make their first impact as ThunderWolves," CSU Pueblo third-year head coach Taylor Ward said after the game. "I look forward to seeing our accomplishments after making adjustments."
 
The Griffons scored the first three goals of the game before Turpen scored a man-up goal with 6:30 left in the first period. MWSU would add two more goals in the opening period to hold a 5-1 lead after 15 minutes of play.
 
Turpen added her second goal of the game just four-plus minutes into the second period to cut MWSU's lead to 5-2. After Maleah Sosa scored a man-down goal to give the Griffons as 6-2 lead, Turpen added her third goal with 7:03 left in the second period to pull the Pack within 6-3.
 
MWSU (1-1) would score two straight goals to take an 8-3 lead, when freshman attacker Emily Doane (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) found the net with 1:25 left to pull the Pack within 8-4, but Sosa added a man-up goal with five seconds left to give the Griffons a 9-4 lead at the half.
 
Freshman midfielder Sydney Gunnels (Dallas, Texas/Coppell) got the scoring started in the third period on an unassisted goal with 9:05 left to cut MWSU's lead to 9-5. The Griffons would respond with five straight goals to push its lead to 14-5 with 1:57 left in the third period.
 
Turpen would stop the Griffons' run with her fourth goal of the game with 1:04 left to cut MWSU's lead to 14-6 heading into the final period.
 
The Pack would score its final goal of the contest on a man-up goal from sophomore midfielder Reese Wasmund (Portland, Ore./West Linn) with 6:53 left in the game. Wasmund's goal cut MWSU's lead to 16-7.
 
The Griffons would score the final three goals of the game to set the final margin.
 
Sam Pruitt paced the Griffons with five goals and one assist for six points, while Caetryn Gilreath and Brooke Tjernlund each added three goals. Sosa and Jordan Porter scored two goals each in the win. Jessica Brook had seven of MWSU's 10 assists in the game as she also scored a goal. For the game, the Griffons got goals from nine different players.
 
The Pack trailed in total shots (48 to MWSU's 48), ground balls (12 to MWSU's 22) and draw controls (13 to MWSU's 17). Turpen and Doane combined for 11 shots, while sophomore goalie Breonna Mason (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) led in ground balls with four and Doane had six of the Pack's 13 draw controls.
 
CSU Pueblo won the free position shot battle as the Pack was 3-for-7, while MWSU was 2-for-7 in the game. Meanwhile, MWSU was credited with 10 caused turnovers to none for the Pack.
 
Mason played all 60 minutes in the cage and collected 14 saves, including six saves in the fourth period. She also added four ground balls.
 
The Pack will conclude its two-game season-opening trip to Missouri with a 9 a.m. MT game on Monday, Feb. 24 in Lee's Summitt, Mo., against William Jewell College.