COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Despite erasing a four-goal deficit and tying the match at halftime, Colorado State University Pueblo dropped a 17-12 decision on the road here Sunday afternoon to UCCS at Mountain Lion Stadium.

With the loss, the ThunderWolves fell to 4-5 overall and 1-2 in the RMAC, while UCCS improved to 5-4 overall and 3-1 in the RMAC. The loss dropped the Pack into fourth place in the RMAC standings.

The Pack showed resilience throughout Sunday's game, rallying from an early 5-1 deficit to knot the score at 7-7 thanks to a free position shot from sophomore midfielder Sydney Gunnels (Dallas, Texas/Coppell) with 24 seconds left in the first half. However, UCCS used a strong second half — including a 10-goal surge over the final two periods, including outscoring the Pack, 5-2, in the fourth period — to pull away for the league win.

Sophomore attacker Emily Doane (Lake Forest, Calif./El Toro) paced the Pack with a team-high three goals on six shots, while freshman midfielder Ainsley Jackson (Anaheim, Calif./Canyon), redshirt freshman midfielder Sienna Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley), and junior midfielder Sophia Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley) each had two goals. Gunnels contributed a goal and an assist, and freshman attacker Hillary Grehan (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Murdoch MacKay Collegiate) and junior midfielder Reece Wasmund (Portland, Ore./West Linn) each tallied a goal.

After falling behind early, the Pack responded with a strong close to the first half. Five unanswered goals in the second quarter — including back-to-back scores from Sophia Rinn and a free-position goal by Gunnels — erased a 7-3 deficit and tied the game at halftime.

UCCS regained control in the third quarter, outscoring CSU Pueblo 5-3 behind a dominant performance from Sofia Watts, who finished with six goals, and Ella Mills, who added five goals. The Mountain Lions carried that momentum into the fourth, extending their lead to as many as six before closing out the 17-12 victory.

In the third period, the Pack got goals from Jackson, Doane, and Sienna Rinn. The latter goal by Sienna Rinn brought the Pack within 11-10 with 1:05 left in the period.

Doane and Wasmund scored the Pack's goals in the fourth period, including Wasmund's free position shot, which pulled the Pack within 16-11 with 3:29 left in the game.

The ThunderWolves finished with advantages in draw controls (18-12) and free-position efficiency (4-of-5), but were out shot 37-28 and trailed in ground balls (30-23).

Wasmund and Sienna Rinn each collected four draws in the game, while senior defender Audrey Allendorf (Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) led the Pack with five ground balls.  

Junior goalkeeper Breonna Mason (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) recorded 11 saves and had four ground balls in the loss. The 11 saves were a season-high for Mason.

In addition to Watts and Mills, who combined for 11 goals, Charlotte Fannin had two goals and three assists in the win for the Mountain Lions. UCCS had 12 assists on its 17 goals.

Ellen Gernert picked up the win in goal as she played the first 34-plus minutes and allowed seven goals and made five saves, while Delaney Gnos played the final 25-plus minutes in goal and had four saves and allowed five goals.

The Pack will return to action next Friday, March 27, as they host Colorado Mesa at 6 p.m. in ALG Stadium.