SALT LAKE CITY – The Westminster women's lacrosse team opened its home slate with a close 18-17 loss to Colorado State University – Pueblo on Tuesday evening at Dumke Field.
 
Westminster (1-3) led 17-16 with 7:30 to play when Katie Adams scored her fourth goal of the game. CSU-Pueblo (5-2) answered with consecutive goals and when Taylor Christensen scored with 1:25 to play the Griffins trailed 18-17.
 
The Griffins won the ensuing draw control and they got three potential game-tying shots off in the final minute. CSU-Pueblo's goalie Ane Marie Horton was up to the challenge with three saves, including the final attempt as time expired.
 
Westminster had a 35-27 edge in shots and they put 27 of those attempts on cage. They took 21 of 27 draw controls and won the ground ball battle, 25-21. The Griffins struggled at 6 of 16 clears while CSU-Pueblo went 13 of 22.
 
Adams and Kira Heiden finished with four goals apiece to lead the Griffins. Morgan Bakarich and Madison Ingman added three goals each. Adams and Bakarich had six points and Adams led the team with 11 shots.
 
Ingman led Westminster with six draw controls and she and Adams had five ground balls apiece. Daisy Mele recorded a team-best three caused turnovers. Taylor Hekking suffered the loss in goal with two saves.
 
Lean Neumann led the ThunderWolves with five goals and seven points. Sami LaBella had three goals and two assists. Horton finished the game with nine saves.
 
Westminster will return to action on Thursday when they host Fort Lewis in their first-ever Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference home game. The action begins at 4 p.m. and tickets are available at WestminsterGriffins.com/tickets.