PUEBLO, Colo. — Colorado State University Pueblo stayed within striking distance for much of the afternoon, but Westminster outscored the ThunderWolves 10-6 in the second half to post a 17-11 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win here Sunday morning at ALG Stadium.

With the setback, the Pack dropped its fourth straight game and fell to 4-7 overall and 1-4 in the RMAC, while Westminster improved to 7-2 overall and 5-0 in the league standings. After the halfway point of conference play, the Pack sits fifth in the RMAC standings.

Much like its game on Friday night at home against Colorado Mesa, the Pack jumped to an early 1-0 lead thanks to a goal just 1:16 into the contest from freshman midfielder Ainsley Jackson (Anaheim, Calif./Canyon) off an assist from freshman attacker Hillary Grehan (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Murdoch MacKay Collegiate).

Westminster, though, answered a minute later, and the Griffins briefly took a 2-1 lead before Grehan converted a free-position opportunity to even the score at 2-2 with 10:06 left in the opening period. The Griffins, who are the lone undefeated team in league play, regained the lead at 3-2 following a goal by Shaina Shoughro, but Jackson struck again for her 23rd goal of the season with a man-up goal off an assist by junior midfielder Reese Wasmund (Portland, Ore./West Linn) with 31 seconds left in the opening period to tie the game at 3-all.

WU opened the second period with back-to-back goals to take a 5-3 lead, but the Pack responded as sophomore midfielder Syndey Gunnels (Dallas, Texas/Coppell) scored with 4:42 remaining in the half, and redshirt freshman midfielder Sienna Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley) followed less than a minute later with a goal off an assist from her sister, junior midfielder Sophia Rinn (Eagle, Colo./Eagle Valley) to tie the game at 5-all with 3:57 remaining in the second period. The Griffins closed the half with two late goals, however, taking a 7-5 advantage into the break.

The Griffins extended their lead early in the third quarter, pushing the margin to 8-5 before CSU Pueblo answered. Gunnels scored on a free-position shot, and Sophia Rinn followed with a man-up goal to trim the deficit to 8-7 with 9:08 left in the third period.

Westminster responded with three straight goals to stretch the lead to 11-7, but Gunnels completed her hat trick late in the period to keep the ThunderWolves within reach. Westminster added a late goal to take a 12-8 lead heading into the fourth period.
Sophia Rinn opened the fourth quarter with a man-up goal to cut the deficit to 12-9, but Westminster answered quickly with two goals to extend the lead back to five. CSU Pueblo continued to fight, as sophomore attacker Emily Doane (Lake Forest, Ill./El Toro) scored at the 9:27 mark and added another man-up goal just under three minutes later, pulling the ThunderWolves within 14-11 with 6:52 remaining. Doane leads the Pack with 28 goals this season, which is third-most in the RMAC.

The Griffins, however, closed the game with three unanswered goals in the final six minutes to secure the six-goal victory.

Gunnels led the Pack with three goals, while Jackson, Doane, and Sophia Rinn each added two goals. Sienna Rinn and Grehan each scored once, with Grehan and Sophia Rinn also recording assists. Jackson also controlled a team-high seven draws, and Sienna Rinn added four draws.

CSU Pueblo finished with advantages in ground balls (34-19) and draw controls (16-12), but Westminster capitalized on 32 ThunderWolves turnovers. Westminster committed 21 turnovers as the Pack was credited with 19 caused turnovers, including a career-high tying four from junior defender Dylan Retzloff (Bend, Ore./Mountain View).

Jackson and Sienna Rinn each had four ground balls, while Wasmund, Gunnels, Sophia Rinn, freshman defender Kayla Wells (Perry, Utah/Box Elder), and junior goalie Breonna Mason (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy) each had two ground balls.

Holly Shoughro paced Westminster with three goals, while five Griffins recorded two goals each in the win. Olivia Petrosky added four of her team's eight assists and scored a goal.

Mason (2-5) played all 60 minutes in goal and recorded six saves, three ground balls, and a caused turnover.

Sienna Garcia (4-0) played the first half in goal and recorded one save and allowed five goals, while Kaitlyn Parish played the entire second half and recorded five saves and allowed six goals.

Westminster also held a 31-26 edge in shots and was 24-for-30 on clears, while the Pack was 21-for-28.

The Pack will continue their five-game home stand as they host UCCS on Thursday, April 2, for a 4 p.m. game, before hosting 17th-ranked Regis for a 12 p.m. game on Saturday, April 4. UCCS picked up a 17-12 win in Colorado Springs, Colo., on March 22, and Regis earned an 18-14 win in Denver on March 20.