ODESSA, Texas (September 14, 2024) – The second goal in as many matches by Cassandra Ramirez had The University of Texas Permian Basin women's soccer team poised to earn its second win in a row, but a pair of goals in the final four minutes by Fort Lewis College instead gave the Falcons their first loss of the season, a 2-1 decision on Saturday at the UTPB Soccer Field.

The Falcons outshot the Skyhawks 13-6 for the match, but the teams were even with four shots on goal apiece.

Ramirez finished with four total shots and three shots on goal while Kristel Chaves and Laura Perez both had three shot attempts.

Ramirez fired her first shot on goal less than a minute and a half into the match and then had another in the 20th minute.

Both of the saves in the match for UTPB goalkeeper Valeria Delgado came in the final seven minutes of the first half, and then Ramirez found paydirt with a shot to the lower left side of the goal in the 56th minute, less than 11 minutes into the second half.

Fort Lewis had just one shot attempt in the first 41 minutes of the second half. However, sophomore Haley Stafford broke through first for the Skyhawks with a goal in the 87th minute to tie the match, and then fellow-sophomore Ana Tucker had the game-winner with just 15 seconds left on the clock.

Tucker's strike came from 18 yards out and just found space under the crossbar and out of Delgado's reach.

The Skyhawks controlled play in the final minute of play and sealed the win on UTPB's field.

Coach Carla Tejas said, "Not the result we wanted. We played a great match for 80 minutes, but soccer is 90 minutes and we need to learn from this experience and apply what we learned. We are going to be okay. We have an amazing group of women who are hungry to learn and grow. As a coach, I can't ask for a better team than the one I have right now."

Fort Lewis improved to 2-1-1 on the year while UTPB dropped to 1-1-1 overall.

UTPB's final match before the start of conference play will come on the road at Wayland Baptist University (Texas) in Planview, Texas. The Falcons and the Lady Pioneers square off starting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, September 19. It will be UTPB's third match in the nonconference portion of its season against an opponent from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).