SPEARFISH, S.D. – In a wild match, the Black Hills State University women's soccer team fell to No. 17 University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, 11-4, on Thursday evening. Rachel Erickson, Ella Goodman, Ryleigh Yanke, and Katie Nielson all scored for the Yellow Jackets.

The nationally ranked Mountain Lions (13-2-1, 11-1 RMAC) opened the scoring in the ninth minute, and then added a second goal in the 18th minute.

The Yellow Jackets (0-16-1, 0-11-1 RMAC) did not back down from the challenge, getting a goal back in the 24th minute. Goodman had the ball in the middle of the field. The freshman beat her defender, and was able to shoot just over the UCCS keepers' fingers, halving the deficit. Just over a minute later, BHSU earned a penalty kick, which Erickson calmly slotted home to tie up the game, 2-2.

In the 37th minute, the Yellow Jackets went ahead, 3-2. Katie Nielson had the ball around the half line, and with an individual effort was able to get her shot off at the top of the box, beating the keeper low.

The Mountain Lions tied up the game in the 40th minute as Zoe Baldwin saved Naomi Gurrola's initial shot, but the UCCS player was able to put her own rebound in the back of the net. The two teams would enter halftime tied, 3-3.

The second half featured nine goals and five yellow cards in a lively 45 minutes. Coming out of the break tied, UCCS' Anna Gregg, who was recently named the RMAC Academic Player of the Year, scored four consecutive goals, including two off of direct free kicks.

Down 7-3 in the 73rd minute, two quick shots by Nielson and Holly Burley were saved, but the second rebound fell to Yanke who slotted home her first of the year for BHSU. The Mountain Lions immediately responded, scoring less than a minute later. They would add three more goals, and take the victory, 11-4.

The Mountain Lions outshot the Yellow Jackets, 36-9. Erickson, Goodman, Yanke, and Nielson each recorded two shots in the game, while each tallied a goal. Zoe Baldwin (0-9) played all 90 minutes in net, allowing 11 goals and making four saves.

Kaylyn Smith (13-2-1) earned the victory in goal for the Mountain Lions, allowing four goals and making three saves.

Prior to the match, the Yellow Jackets' lone senior was honored. Rachel Erickson, who joined the soccer squad after playing four years on the BHSU women's basketball team, was thanked for her contributions to the program.

The Green and Gold will wrap up the 2018 season on October 27, hosting MSU Denver. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1:30 p.m.

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Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.

---BHSUAthletics.com---