GUNNISON, Colo.  A physical game that saw a combined 27 fouls, two yellows and one red card ended with a loss for host Western Colorado as visiting St. Edwards (Texas) took a 2-0 victory Sunday at Katy O. Rady Field in non-conference soccer action.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: St. Edwards def. Western, 2-0
Records: Western 1-3, St. Edwards 1-1-1
Location: Katy O. Rady Field, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Hilltoppers exerted pressure in its attacking third almost immediately, getting a shot from in the box that was blocked by a Western defender 77 seconds in, followed by two shots on frame in the next five minutes that Western goalkeeper Aubree Orosco saved to stave off an early deficit.
• The Mountaineers put their first shot on goal in the 11th minute when Ellie Kubena's free kick from 45 yards out was on target but saved by SEU goalie Daria Schlumbohm.
• The visitors responded with consistent pressure in their attacking third, Orosco notching two more saves before Tristyn Cabello finally knocked home a rebound off the second save for the game's initial goal and a 1-0 SEU lead.
• The Mountaineers didn't fall into a shell after that, getting shots on goal by Abby Raio and Cianna Thomas that forced Schlumbohm saves to keep her team in front into the halftime break.
• SEU's crushing second goal came late in the 61st when Annie Rocha, who'd earned the assist on Cabello's goal, crossed a shot in the box from the right back across just inside the left post to lift the Hilltoppers to a 2-0 lead.
• Western pushed back, registering four shots before a red card to SEU's Sierra Padilla and getting off one more afterward, from Sarah Connolly but saved by Schlumbohm, but weren't able to bite into the deficit.

TURF NOTES

• The Mountaineers surrendered the edge in shots, 10-6, in first-half action, but equaled the Hilltoppers, 8-8, over the final 45 minutes. Despite the overall SEU advantage in total shots (18-14), Western finished with a 53 to 47 percent edge in possession time.
• Kubena, Cianna Thomas and Connolly each had three shots for the Mountaineers, with two of Thomas' making it on frame.
• Orosco finished the contest with eight saves against the two goals allowed, while Schlumbohm would earn the shutout with five saves.

THEY SAID IT
 
 
UP NEXT
Western has a pair of non-conference games in Kearney, Nebraska, playing against host Nebraska-Kearney on Sept. 20 followed by a neutral-site match on Sept. 22 against Washburn (Kan.) University.