An early goal wasn’t enough for the Fort Lewis College women’s soccer team, as the Skyhawks fell to Colorado Christian University 2-1 on Thursday in Lakewood.
The Skyhawks (4-9-1, 4-7-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) took an early 1-0 lead in the 12th minute with an Emma Patron goal – her fourth goal of the season.
On the goal, a pass from a Cougars’ defender was deflected to Patron on the edge of the 18-yard box. The Cougars’ keeper got a hand on the shot but not enough to stop it from finding the back of the net.
Colorado Christian (5-9-2, 2-7-2 RMAC) got the equalizer in the 23rd minute. After a short corner kick, Sara Feller got the ball about 20 yards out and fired a shot into the upper corner of the goal for her first goal of the season. Alyssa Regalado assisted on the goal.
The Cougars took the lead 10 minutes later when Lauren Cardoza put a free kick from 25 yards away into the upper left corner of the goal. It was her third goal of the year.
Both teams struggled to get clean shots off during the match. Colorado Christian out shot the Skyhawks 5-4 and put three of the five shots on goal. FLC put just one shot on goal. The Cougars also earned five corner kicks compared to zero for the Skyhawks.
The Skyhawks are fighting for one of the final eight spots in the RMAC Tournament, which begins next week. FLC currently sits in eighth in the RMAC standings with 12 points, but holds the No. 7 seed in the conference tournament because Westminster – sixth in the conference – is not eligible for the postseason as part of the school’s transition to join NCAA Division II after previously competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
The Skyhawks are bunched up with a few programs vying for one of the three remaining tournament spots. Colorado Mesa University currently holds the sixth seed with 13 points, followed by FLC’s 12 points, New Mexico Highlands and Western State both have 10 points, and Adams State has 9 points.
Adams State and Western State both have two matches remaining in the regular season while FLC and Highlands have one more match.
Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Metro State University-Denver, Regis University and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs have all clinched a spot in the conference tournament.
FLC will close out the regular season at 11 a.m. Saturday against Colorado Mines (12-2-1, 8-1-1 RMAC) in Golden.
kschneider@durangoherald.com
