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Soccer Battles Air Force in Mountain West Championship on Saturday
PHOENIX, Arizona (11/12/26) – The University of Wyoming soccer team battles Air Force on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Mountain West Championship. It's a match between the No. 2-seeded Cowgirls and No. 4 Falcons at GCU Stadium. The game can be streamed on MW+.
This marks Wyoming's fourth time competing in a conference title tilt in its 31-year history. It last participated in one during the 2022 season, falling to San Jose State in penalty kicks.
"This group hasn't been to a final except or G," head coach Josh Purdum said. "So, it's new for everyone. It's new for where we are as a program. It was new (Wednesday against Hawai'i), and we handled it. We've been playing playoff soccer for last three weeks now, so we know exactly what it looks like. Whoever we play, the preparation is the same. We just have to ramp it up one more level."
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As Purdum said, there's one Cowgirl that has experienced the stage the entire group will see Saturday. Alyssa Glover played on that 2022 squad, and she has led the Pokes all season en route to being named the league's Offensive Player of the Year.
She's netted 10 goals with nine assists for a conference-best 29 points. Glover is the tip of the spear, but Wyoming is so much more than one player, and that was on display in the semifinal against the Rainbow Wahine.
Addison Keen scored the equalizer, off a corner from Glover. Reese Gould capped the game, ending it with a golden goal in the 109th minute off a pass from Maddie Burr.
Both of those goals put Keen and Gould in the multi-goal-scorer category this season. Also in that distinguished group are Burr (four goals and five assists), Isabel Vasco (five goals and four assists), Brooke Brown (five goals), Lauren Westwood (three goals), Erin Dahl (two goals and one assist), Raegan Richardson (two goals and one assist) and Alisa Bunn (two goals and one assist). Gould now has two goals and four assists, while Keen owns a pair of goals.
Much like Wyoming, the Falcons have a go-to goal scorer surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Annika Jost has found the back of the net nine times with 10 assists for 28 points. Eight others have scored twice and five of those have at least four goals.
It'll be a good battle in net too. Wyoming's Haley Bartel has collected 69 saves with 18 goals allowed for a GAA of 0.90. Air Force's Sydney Nelms has logged 81 saves with 18 goals surrendered for a GAA of 1.09.
The Cowgirls and Falcons met just a couple weeks ago. Wyoming, in nearly a must-win situation, rallied past Air Force, 2-1, in Laramie with both goals coming in the second half.
The winner on Saturday punches a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The Pokes have never qualified to NCAAs.
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