Colorado Springs, Colo. (Nov. 1, 2013) – In the final regular-season match for the University of Wyoming women’s soccer team and the final tune-up before the Mountain West Tournament beginning on Monday, the Cowgirls (7-10-3, 4-4-2 MW) dropped a 3-1 decision to Air Force (3-13-2. 2-7-1 MW) Friday night. Senior forward Lucie McDowell recorded UW’s lone goal of the match, while the Falcons scored two goals in the first half, both from sophomore forward Ally Swift and another in the 71st minute by freshman midfielder Maddie Lundberg. It was the Falcons’ first defeat over the Cowgirls since 2002.

In the 16th minute, Air Force scored its first goal as sophomore midfielder Meredith Reisinger found Swift who was able to push the ball just over the reach of junior goalkeeper Alex Boehm. About 11 minutes later, Air Force doubled its lead as Swift headed in her second score of the match. The Falcons took the 2-0 lead into halftime. Boehm, played 19 minutes in the first half and was credited with one save, while Falcon senior goalkeeper Kelly Stambaugh recorded three. Sophomore goalkeeper Abby Lindsay saw her first action of the season for Wyoming after stepping in for Boehm in the 19th minute.

The second half started well for the Cowgirls, as McDowell recorded UW’s only goal in the 55th minute to tighten the Falcon lead at 2-1. It was McDowell’s team-leading ninth score of the season and 17th of her career, which is tied for fifth all-time in UW history. In the 71st minute, Air Force recorded its third and final score of the match. Lundberg, assisted by freshman midfielder Kaylee Shalongo, fired a shot from 25 yards out that found the back of the net to give Air Force the 3-1 lead.

Junior midfielder Alison Clarke was the only Cowgirl to play the full 90 minutes on Friday night. She recorded one shot during the match. McDowell, freshman forward Anne Hinman and junior defender Sheree Small led Wyoming with two shots apiece.

Both squads recorded six shots in the first 45 minutes, but during the second half the Cowgirls stole the shot advantage, 6-2. Overall for the match, UW tallied 12 shots, six of which were on goal, compared to the Falcons eight total shots and four on goal. Wyoming had two corner kicks on the night, both coming in the second half, as Air Force was limited to one.

 The first round of the MW Tournament will begin on Monday with matches at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. MT in Albuquerque, N.M. Wyoming secured the seventh seed for the tournament and will face UNLV on Monday, Nov. 4 with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. MT.