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Home of the Regis University Rangers
1
Fort Lewis FLC (7-3-5, 3-3-3)
2
Winner Regis (CO) Regis (11-4-1, 7-2-1)
Fort Lewis FLC
(7-3-5, 3-3-3)
1
Final
2
Regis (CO) Regis
(11-4-1, 7-2-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Fort Lewis FLC 1 0 1
Regis (CO) Regis 0 2 2
WSOC Senior Day group
Billy Saunders, Regis Athletics
The 2023 Regis women's soccer graduating class celebrated Senior Day on Sunday.

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

Regis veterans shine on Senior Day, lift Rangers to crucial 2-1, come-from-behind win over Fort Lewis

DENVER, Colo. — On an afternoon where the Regis University women's soccer team honored its seven graduating members, the upperclassmen put their stamp on a crucial 2-1, come-from-behind victory against Fort Lewis College on Sunday at the Regis Turf Fields.

With the victory, coupled with a loss Sunday by No. 5 Colorado Mesa, the Rangers (11-4-1 overall, 7-2-1 RMAC) moved into a three-way tie for second in the RMAC standings with CMU and UCCS, and only trail conference leaders Colorado School of Mines by one point heading into the final two games of the regular season.

"It felt really good to turn things around. The last two games out on our home field, we came out feeling a little empty at the end. Today was really a great group effort and I thought the seniors were terrific," said Regis head coach, Jeff Frykholm. "It was great to see them all play so well and get a win on Senior Day."

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Rangers would face a little adversity in the early going as Fort Lewis College (7-3-5 overall, 3-3-3 RMAC) pounced off the opening kickoff, creating a corner kick opportunity just 30 seconds into the contest. Fort Lewis would capitalized on the set piece to take a 1-0 lead 41 seconds into the game.

"If you're going to go down 1-0, you prefer to do it in the first minute so you have 89 minutes to get it back," Frykholm jested. "We trusted our system, we didn't panic, and we didn't think the game was going to end 1-0. We tried to figure out what Fort Lewis was doing and work ourselves back into the game."

Fort Lewis would own that 1-0 lead at the break, but the Rangers quickly flipped the script in the opening minutes of the second half as they tallied two goals in the 46th and 48th minutes, respectively, to swing the momentum back to their sideline.

Regis fifth-year senior Kelby Kuo netted the 27th goal of her decorated career — 5th of the season — after fellow senior Jillian Skurcenski threaded a pass across the box.

Just two minutes later, after the Rangers won a ball in the midfield and pressed forward to earn a corner kick opportunity, it was Skurcenski's turn to find the back of the net.

Junior midfielder Sarah Wynn took the corner opportunity. And after the initial shot by junior defenseman Madison Cullinan was stopped by the FLC goalkeeper, Skurcenski hammered home the rebound for what proved to be the game-winning goal at the 47:42 mark.

"To get the performances out of Jill and Kelby in those moments, after some collective pressure from the whole team that allowed us to get on Fort Lewis so quickly in the second half, was special to see," Frkyholm said. "We talked at half about coming out with a sense of urgency, needing to assert ourselves. And we talked about the lessons we've learned the last few matches playing with a lead. We wanted to flip the switch and put that pressure on someone else."

The Regis defense, which was patrolled by fellow graduating seniors in Sophia Leone, Samantha Murray and Emma Longbrake on Sunday, would help put the finishing touches on the victory.

FLC managed just two shots on goal over the final 45 minutes, both handled cleanly by freshman goalkeeper Kayla Arucan as part of her seven saves.

GAME NOTES
 
  • FLC outshot the Rangers, 19-11, but the two teams finished even at 8-8 for shots on goal.
  • Regis senior Ana Lopes made her season debut Sunday, playing 40 minutes, after being sidelined most of 2023 due to an upper body injury.

GRADUATING CLASS
The seven players honored by the Rangers on Sunday were Kuo, Skurcenski, Murray, Leone, Longbrake, Lopes and graduate student Alexis Gaffney.

"The word that comes to mind for this group is 'steadfast.' They've just stuck with it through so much adversity. Some of the players have gone through three coaching changes, the challenges of the Covid-19 Pandemic, roster turnover and cultural changes. But they just stuck with it," Frykholm said. "The legacy they'll leave is a true example of what it means to make a commitment, and face all the uncertainties and challenges that come with that. They've never wavered and continue to come to practice every day ready and have provided great leadership for us."

UP NEXT
The Rangers will have a full week to prepare before they head off to face No. 5 Colorado Mesa in a game crucial to both teams as they jockey for a RMAC regular season title and playoff positioning. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. next Sunday out in Grand Junction.
 
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Scoring Summary

Scoring Summary
Scoring Team Scoring Play
00:41
FLC McKenna Ford (1)
Assisted By: Rozlin Gomez
GOAL by FLC Ford, McKenna Assist by Gomez, Rozlin.
45:26
Regis Kelby Kuo (5)
Assisted By: Jillian Skurcenski
GOAL by Regis Kuo, Kelby Assist by Skurcenski, Jillian.
47:42
Regis Jillian Skurcenski (2)
Assisted By: Madison Cullinan
GOAL by Regis Skurcenski, Jillian Assist by Cullinan, Madison.

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