Tigers Claim Conference USA Championship

October 27, 2013

It didn’t happen the way Colorado College preferred, but the Tigers claimed the outright 2013 Conference USA regular-season crown on Sunday.

Despite a 2-1 loss at UTEP in the final road game of the regular season, CC clinched the championship when North Texas lost at UAB, 2-1, in a game that ended just prior to the final whistle in El Paso.

Kaeli Vandersluis gave Colorado College a 1-0 lead when she converted on the second penalty kick of her career. The junior midfielder tied her single-season high with her fifth goal of the season.

The Miners tied the game with 8:41 remaining in the first half when Lauren Katada scored on a penalty kick of her own.

Angela Cutaia put UTEP ahead in the 64th minute when her header found the net off a feed from Katada.

The Tigers had a pair of corner kicks and two shots during the final minutes, but were unable to get a ball past the Miners’ Keighton Allen, who finished with two saves.

Sophomore Kate Scheele stopped three shots for the Tigers, who were outshot for just the third time this season.

UTEP recorded a 12-7 advantage in total shots and a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.

CC, which saw its 11-game unbeaten streak come to an end, slipped to 12-4-1 overall and 7-1-1 in C-USA.

The Miners improved to 12-4-3 overall and 5-2-2 in league play.

Colorado College plays host to the Southern Miss in the regular-season finale on Thursday at 3 p.m. MT.