Wyoming soccer team (3-1-1 overall) couldn’t overcome two first half goals and suffered its first loss of the season against the Northern Colorado Bears (3-3-0). The Cowgirls dropped a 4-1 contest against the Bears on Tuesday night in Greeley.  

Northern Colorado had a scoring opportunity early off a set play. A corner kick by Mariel Gutierrez connected with Kenzie Bray who headed it in with 1:08 on the clock to give the Bears the 1-0 lead. The Cowgirls struggled on the offensive side unable to string together a good sequence of passes. Over a majority of the half, neither team really had any good scoring opportunities. With 39:51 on the clock, Wyoming had its first look at the goal with a shot from freshman Caitlin Pickett which went high. Fellow freshman Sekoya Romero followed that up with a shot that was saved by Taylor Washington. On the counter attack, the Bears pushed it down the field and a ball bounced off a UW defender, was rebounded and put back in by Courtney Elterman making it 2-0 UNC at the half. The Bears outshot the Cowgirls 6-3 and had 3-1 on corner kicks.

In the second half, Wyoming tried to get something going out of the break with shots by seniors Jessie Gentle and Annika Clayton, but both were scooped up by the goalkeeper Washington. The Bears continued to be the aggressor and they would connect on another goal. With 54:45 on the clock, a cross shot by Lexi Pulley connected with Maddie Roberts who pushed it in to make it 3-0. The Cowgirls finally got on the board in the 82^nd minute of the game. Freshman Adalyn Vergara would punch it in off a corner kick from senior Morgan McDougal making it 3-1. It would be the first goal of her career. Less than a minute after Gutierrez got herself in the scoring column with a goal all alone from the top left to make it 4-1 which was the final. 

 “We didn’t show up to play tonight,” head coach Pete Cuadrado said. “It was a very disappointing effort and the result showed it. We have to get back to work to prepare for Friday’s game.”   

Clayton had a team high two shots, while three others had one each. McDougal had the only assist of the game for UW. UNC outshot the Cowgirls 13-9 and they would hold the advantage 5-2 on corner kicks. The nine shots in the game were a season low for UW. Senior Taylor Burton and freshman Savannah Warner each logged 90 minutes.

The Cowgirls will return home to the friendly confines of the Louis S. Madrid for a pair of non-conference match-ups. UW will host Montana on Friday at 4 p.m. followed by a Sunday game against Big 10 foe Iowa. That game is scheduled for 12 p.m.  

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