COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Regis University women's soccer team held its own to No. 1 UC-Colorado Springs for the first 45 minutes but gave up three closing-half goals to fall 4-1 at Mountain Lion Stadium on Sunday.

"I challenged the players today to win individual positional duels and many did so," said coach J.B. Belzer. "We learned that all of us must be [able to] execute when our number is called if we are to win the upcoming RMAC Tournament, earning a bid to the NCAA big show." 

How It Happened: Facing a 1-0 deficit, senior midfielder Emily Ramos passed to freshman midfielder Madison Hand, who beat freshman goalkeeper Mollee Swift for the 32nd-minute, 1-1 equalizer.

But early in the 65th minute with the game tied, 1-1, freshman midfielder Taeya Schueppert scored an unassisted goal to the top-left and broke the deadlock, which proved to be the eventual game-winner.

The Mountain Lions added insurance in the 77th minute when a pass from freshman midfielder Zoe Sims reached senior defender Aleesa Muir, who directed a shot to the bottom-left for a 3-1 UC-Colorado Springs advantage.
 
UCCS capped off its scoring at the 80th minute when redshirt junior midfielder Caitlin Esterle connected with freshman forward Tanner Sanders, who scored a goal in the bottom-left of the goalbox for a 4-1 lead.
 
Schueppert put the Mountain Lions ahead early, 1-0, with a fifth-minute goal to the bottom-left upon receiving a pass from freshman forward Jaden Davis.
 
The Rangers trailed in both shots, 19-8, and shots-on-goal, 7-3, for the match.
 
Game Notes: Hand (1 G, 2 S, 1 SOG) gave Regis its only score. Ramos (1 A) was credited with RU's only assist. Senior forward Chevonne John (1 S, 1 SOG) had her lone shot for the game on-goal. Junior midfielder Keegan Storlie (2 S, 1 SOG) recorded a shot on-target.
 
Up Next for the Rangers: The Rangers fall to a 9-5-3 overall record and a 7-4-2 record in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) play. Regis will await its to-be-determined opponent and location for its first-round match of the RMAC Tournament, which will be played on Friday.

Update: RU will travel back to UCCS as the No. 5-seed of the RMAC Tournament, where it will face No. 4-seed Westminster (Utah) (10-3-4, 7-3-3 RMAC) at Mountain Lion Stadium on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Regarding the RMAC Tournament, Belzer and his squad are enthusiastic about what lies ahead.

"We are excited to begin that journey Friday night against Westminster," Belzer said.