Game Book in PDF Format
EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP soccer team was clipped, 1-0, by league-leading Colorado College, on a gusty night in front of a sold-out crowd at University Field Thursday evening.
The Miners (8-3-3, 2-3 MT) gave the top team in the Mountain West all they could handle before an unlucky sequence allowed the Tigers (7-4-4, 5-0-1 MW) to escape El Paso with the victory. On a clearing attempt in the 81st minute, the ball deflected off Colorado College's Ella Ashouri to send her teammate Tyler Rose in alone on net.
Savanah Finley came out to cut the angle, but Rose bested her in the partial breakaway for what turned out to be the only goal of the game.
The Orange and Blue racked up 15 shots, including 10 on target, but Tigers' netminder Regan Wallace managed to record a clean sheet.
Alana Lawless-Felarca and
Anai Lopez each posted two shots on goal to pace the attack. UTEP's
Savanah Finley was credited with seven stops.
It was a physical tilt with 28 fouls, including 15 on the visitors, but the lone booking of the contest went against the Miners.
Colorado College managed the first offensive attack of the night, but UTEP did well to block the shot by Finley Schoenbeck (8'). Schoenbeck was back pestering Finley the ensuing minute, with UTEP's netminder cleanly catching a shot right at her chest.
Finley looked to get the Orange and Blue's offense going off a free kick, but the wind carried her attempt (16') wide of the frame.
Dannique Wilson then lofted a shot with her right foot, but Wallace leapt for the save. Lawless-Felarca tested Wallace, who was up to the task to register a save in the 22nd minute. She went back to work by skipping a shot (30') on frame only to have Wallace track it cleanly.
Finley hauled in a high-arching attempt (33') by Chloe Bunton. The Miners were then back in Tiger territory with a corner kick (35'), but it didn't pay off.
UTEP had its best sequence of soccer late in the stanza. Lopez laced a shot (43') that Wallace managed to punch out on the goal mouth. The ball wasn't cleared, but
Valeria Agudelo's shot (43') was blocked.
Zeta McDannels then got to it, only to have Wallace deliver yet another save, and the match was scoreless through 45 minutes of action.
Finley showed out with a diving save on Ashouri's blast (46') less than one minute into the second half. UTEP then bolted up the pitch, but
Kialie Hudson's shot (46') was corralled. Charlotte Strabel drilled a shot (58') that blistered in on frame where Finley calmly handled it despite the pace.
Agudelo tried a change of pace shot (59'), but it didn't fool Wallace. After two saves in two minutes by Finley on respective shots by Bella Stewart (64') and Schoenbeck (65'), UTEP won a free kick in the attacking zone.
Macey Williams belted a shot (68') that was destined for the back of the net, but somehow Wallace deflected it up and off the crossbar and away. UTEP kept coming, with
Haylee Lancaster forcing a save on her try (77').
With the wind whipping harder and harder, chances were at a premium. Colorado College took advantage after a clearing attempt by the UTEP defense hit off Ashouri, and it went right to Rose. She was sprung free and snuck the shot past Finley. The tally survived a VAR challenge for offside.
Lopez had the final shot (83') on goal of the game for UTEP, which was snagged by Wallace as it cut through the wind.
The Miners will look to get back into the win column at Wyoming at 1 p.m. MT Sunday. The match will be streamed exclusively on MW+ (subscription required).
Stay up to date with UTEP Soccer by subscribing to the team's newsletter here.
For complete coverage of UTEP women's soccer, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPSoccer (Twitter), @utepminerssoccer (Instagram) and on Facebook or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.
