PUEBLO, Colo.  Western Colorado scored twice in the final five minutes Friday night at Colorado State Pueblo, earning a 2-2 draw in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener for the Mountaineers and host ThunderWolves.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western ties CSU Pueblo, 2-2
Records: Western 0-7-1 (0-0-1 RMAC), CSU Pueblo 1-3-3 (0-0-1)
Location: Gonazles Stadium, Pueblo, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The field was tilted downhill for Pueblo early in the game, as it got off the first seven shots of the game before Western could earn its first.
• The Pack took the lead in the 25th off a free kick that dropped into the box and off the head of a Western defender for an own goal and a 1-0 deficit for Western.
• Momentum began to shift, however, soon after the CSUP goal, as the Mountaineers began to earn more and more possession, and began building pressure in its attacking third.
• Western entered the halftime break trailing on the scoreboard, and trailing in the scorebook as the Pack also had a 10-4 edge in shots.
• Goalkeeper Ashlyn Fitzpatrick was doing her best to keep the Mountaineers in the game, registering five saves in the first half and only surrendering the own goal.
• The attacking pressure continued for Western after coming out of the halftime break, as it began to finally find looks on frame, but just couldn't find the equalizer.
• Things looked bleak for the Mountaineers when in the 81st minute, a 3-on-2 from midfield turned into a ThunderWolves goal that doubled their advantage with less than 10 minutes remaining.
• The mounting pressure on the attack by Western finally produced results five minutes later, though. Ellie Kubena's free kick from 40 yards out hit high on the left post and caromed back out onto the field. Karly Morkunas won the race to the loose ball and rocketed a shot from within the box that Pack goalie Miha Begay could only get a glove on as it found the goal netting inside the left post.
• Desperate for the tying marker now, the Mountaineers pressed harder into the Pack's defensive third until with 40 seconds remaining the pressure provided Western with a corner kick.
• Racing to place the ball in the corner, and followed closely by Jordan Welsh, Cianna Thomas inserted a short pass to Welsh who dribbled in five yards and sent a low cross that found Jenna Ralls who volleyed a shot behind Begay for the equalizer with 27 seconds left on the clock.

FIELD FIGURES

• After being outshot 7-0 early, and by a 10-4 margin at the halftime break, the Mountaineers ended up earning the advantage on the scoresheet at the end of the game with a 16-15 advantage in total shots.
• Western's pressure in its attacking third also created the upper hand in corner kick opportunities, 7-1.
• Fitzpatrick would finish the game with six saves, CSUP's Begay with three.

UP NEXT
The Mountaineers will try to carry the momentum from Friday night into its RMAC Sunday matchup, when it takes on 13th-ranked and host UC Colorado Springs.