GUNNISON, Colo.  In scoring its first two goals of the season, Western Colorado soccer battled back from a two-goal deficit Wednesday in its non-conference battle with West Texas A&M, but the visiting Buffaloes deflected in the game winner in the 88th minute to claim a 3-2 win at Katy O. Rady Field.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: West Texas A&M def. Western Colorado, 3-2
Records: Western Colorado 0-3, WTAMU 2-0-1
Location: Katy O. Rady Field, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Lady Buffs opened the scoring by converting a penalty kick in the 23rd minute, a 1-0 lead they would take into the halftime break despite getting out shot 6-4 by the Mountaineers.
• The WTAMU lead doubled in the 54th, putting Western in a two-goal hole. But 14 minutes later the rally began.
• Adah Minikel-Lacocque had possession along the right side of the penalty box and flipped a pass back to Caitlin Mazurek, who one-touched a looping shot over the defense that found the upper, left corner of the frame to cut the deficit in half in the 67th.
• The Mountaineer attack continued to press, eventually earning a corner kick opportunity in the 75th. Sarah Connolly stepped into the corner and lofted an arcing ball toward the back post where Cianna Thomas popped up higher than anyone else, heading a shot into the upper, right corner for the equalizer.
• Western pushed possession deep into its attacking third just five minutes later, when Thomas pounded a free kick from 25 yards out that banged off the crossbar.
• The Mountaineers would register the next two shots, one of those center cut on frame but saved, but the Buffs would finally gain some traction downfield, earning their own corner kick.
• The corner attempt came down a few yards shy of the goal line, deflecting off WTAMU's Aaliyah McPeak inside the left post for the go-ahead goal late in the 88th.

PITCH NOTES

• The Mountaineers finished with the advantage in total shots, 18-12, shots on goal, 11-6, and corner kick opportunities, 7-3.
• While overall possession between the two teams was fairly even, Western's possession total in its attacking third was dominant. The Mountaineers were in attacking position 39 percent of its total possession time.
• Western goalkeeper Aubree Orosco would finish the game with three saves, while her WTAMU counterpart, Franciezca Blancaflor, earned the win making nine saves.

THEY SAID IT


UP NEXT
Western continues non-conference action on Friday under the lights at Katy O. Rady, squaring off against the University of Texas at Dallas in a 7 p.m. match.