Soccer Rallies Past Fresno State, 4-3, in Mountain West Conference Home Opener

LARAMIE, Wyoming (10/3/24) – The University of Wyoming soccer team hosted Fresno State on Thursday in its first Mountain West Conference home match of the season. The Cowgirls were eying three points, but that pursuit got off to a rocky start at the Madrid Sports Complex.

Wyoming allowed two Bulldogs’ goals in the span of the 30 seconds and found itself down early. But the Cowgirls rallied, scoring four straight en route to a 4-3 victory.

It marked the first time since 2018 that Wyoming rallied from two scores down to win a match. It improves the Cowgirls to 3-4-4 on the season and 1-1-1 (4 points) in league action, while the loss drops Fresno State to 5-4-2 on the year and 0-2-1 (1 point) in conference play.

Wyoming has now rallied in back-to-back contests, as it came back from a one-goal deficit to tie Air Force on Sunday. It’s a commendable trait to have but it’s one head coach Josh Purdum doesn’t want to rely on.

“I’d love to be up first and force the other team to comeback and try to fight us,” Purdum said. “From Game 1 to Game 2 to now Game 3, having to respond and believing we can respond and seeing that over the course of time is fantastic. The fact that the details are there but the fight and mentality is also there to back it up is great.”

The Bulldogs took a 2-0 lead in the blink of an eye. Ciara Wilson netted the game’s first goal in the 18th minute and 30 seconds later Lizbeth De Loera made it a 2-0 Fresno State advantage.

Wyoming cut its deficit in half just over two minutes later. Kiley Ballek scored for the second time in as many games off a pass from Maddi Chance in the 20th minute.   

Hadley Linder knotted the score at 2-2 during the 33rd minute. She hit home a corner kick from fellow freshman, Erin Dahl.

Taylor Brook gave Wyoming its first lead of the game in the 53rd minute. She kicked home a loose ball after a set piece was brought in by Maddie Burr.

Alyssa Bedard gave the Cowgirls some breathing room in the 65th minute off a feed from Raegan Richardson. That gave Bedard 15 goals for her career, which ties her for 10th all-time in program history.

The cushion was needed because the Bulldogs got one back in the 85th minute. Wilson scored via a penalty that was given due to a handball in the box.

Wyoming goalkeeper, Haley Bartel, ended the game with a pair of saves. Fresno State utilized a pair of goalkeepers. Ashton Conley started the game and didn’t record a save in the first half, while Shivani Battaglia turned away two shots in the second half.

The Cowgirls edged Fresno State, 15-12, in shots. Alisa Bunn boasted the most shots with four, half of which were on frame.

Wyoming is back at home Sunday. It hosts San Jose State at 1 p.m. at the Madrid Sports Complex.