COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Facing a ranked team on the road, the Texas A&M University-Commerce soccer team downed No. 18 Colorado-Colorado Springs by a score of 4-3 on Sunday afternoon at Mountain Lion Stadium. An own goal by the Mountain Lions gave the Lions the win.  
 
This match is the first win for A&M-Commerce against a ranked team since October 29, 2017, when the Lions downed No. 9 Angelo State Belles, 1-0 in San Angelo.
 
The four goals in a match are most in a match since the season opener this past spring against Texas-Tyler, a 4-3 overtime win for the Lions.
 
The Lions improved to 1-1 on the season and the Mountain Lions are also 1-1 on the season. The two teams meet again next Saturday at the Lion Soccer Field.
 
With eight minutes to go in the match, A&M-Commerce had a free kick that was blocked by UC-Colorado Springs. Naomi Sink (Plano – East) tried a shot attempt from outside the box. The kick was blocked by the Mountain Lions' wall, but the deflected ball went into the net with the goalkeeper Alexis Walker out of position to give the Lions the lead.
 
In the first half, the Mountain Lions jumped out to the lead in the eighth minute on a goal from Tarah Patterson. UC-Colorado Springs crossed the ball into the penalty box for Tori Maydew, whose pass to Patterson was deflected by A&M-Commerce, but Patterson recovered to open the scoring.
 
A foul by the Mountain Lions awarded the Lions a free kick from the near sideline by midfield. Cora Welch (Plano) took the free kick and went for goal. Her kick bounced in the penalty box and went just above the reach of Walker and the match was tied.
 
It did not take long for UC-Colorado Springs to tie the match. The Mountain Lions received a free kick also by the near sideline about 35 yards out. Sydney Lasater's kick landed perfectly for Makayla Merlo from about three outside of goal. Merlo headed in on the bottom left corner for the goal.
 
The span between the two goals was 41 seconds.
 
The Mountain Lions came out aggressive in the first half, totaling 11 shots, with three on goal, one of which was saved by Jen Peters (Allen). In the match, they had 17 shots, Lions had 10 shots.
 
Peters played all ninety minutes in goal, she made two saves and got the winning decision.
 
A&M-Commerce continued its success from set pieces to tie the match early in the second half. A corner kick by Leslie Campuzano (Garland – Lakeview Central) was headed by Melissa Storey (Tyne and Wear, England) past Walker to tie the match.
 
Less than four minutes later, UC-Colorado Springs took a free kick that was deflected by Kaitlyn Valaitis (Rowlett – Sachse) and she kicked the ball up field. The Mountain Lions tried to clear the ball by hitting it to Walker, Karalie Morrison (North Richland Hills – Colleyville Heritage) jumped in to get in the way of Walker's kick. Morrison walked into the goal with no defender in sight to give the Lions their first lead of the season.
 
That was the first career goal for Morrison.
 
The see-saw affair continued in the second half when the Mountain Lions capitalized on a quick throw in. Patterson received the pass from the throw in and crossed it into the box to Kelsey Takahasi, who kicked it in past Peters to tie it again.
 
Morrison and Christina Hernandez (Denison) lead the Lions with three shots each. Patterson and Merlo had five shots each for the Mountain Lions.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions are home for the next two matches next weekend at the Lion Soccer Field. A&M-Commerce hosts Fort Lewis on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and UC-Colorado Springs on Saturday at 11 a.m.