Tigers Suffer Heartbreaking Last-Minute Loss to UNM in Soccer

In a heart-wrenching finish, the Colorado College Tigers fell to the New Mexico Lobos in the final moments of their Mountain West women’s soccer opener.

Despite a valiant effort and twice taking the lead, the Tigers just couldn’t hold off the Lobos, who clinched a 3-2 victory with a last-minute goal.

This closely contested match saw standout performances from several players on both sides. It’s definitely a game folks will remember for a while.

The Match Unfolds: A Play-By-Play Breakdown

The game kicked off in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and right away it looked like the Lobos had scored in the seventh minute.

But after an official review, the goal was waved off for offside. That gave the Tigers an early boost and a chance to regroup.

First Half: Tigers Take the Lead

Colorado College struck first in the 10th minute. Sophomore Finley Schoenbeck notched her first goal of the season.

Freshman Taylor Mentink sent the ball into the box from the right, and Schoenbeck finished the play at the far post. That assist also marked Mentink’s first career point.

The Tigers held their lead through the first half. Junior goalkeeper Regan Wallace made a couple of outstanding saves to keep things steady.

At halftime, Colorado College still led 1-0. They looked confident heading into the break.

Second Half: A Battle of Equalizers

The second half ramped up the intensity. New Mexico’s Alejandra Puerta leveled the score in the 58th minute with a shot from the left side of the box that slipped past Wallace.

The Tigers didn’t back down. Just five minutes later, senior Makenna Kolson scored the first goal of her career.

Kolson fired a left-footed shot from the top of the box, assisted by freshman Pressly Taylor. The ball sailed past UNM goalie Alyson Campbell, and Taylor picked up her first career point with the assist.

Puesta answered right back in the 66th minute. She chased down an over-the-top pass from Allie Anderson and finished from inside the box.

With the score tied again, the tension just kept building.

Final Minutes: The Decisive Goal

As the clock ticked down, both teams pushed hard. In the 89th minute, Anderson crossed the ball into the box, and Gabby Beaudry headed it past Wallace.

That goal sealed the win for New Mexico. The Lobos improved their record to 5-2-2 overall and 1-0 in the Mountain West.

Key Takeaways

The final stats showed just how close this match was. New Mexico edged Colorado College in total shots (14-12) and shots on goal (7-6).

Both goalkeepers—Wallace and Campbell—finished with four saves each. The competition stayed fierce from start to finish.

Head coach Keri Sanchez from Colorado College shared her thoughts after the game. She said, “This was a tough loss. We battled, had the lead twice, but couldn’t withstand their pressure consistently at the end. We learned that the little things can be the difference on both ends of the field.”