LARAMIE, Wyo.  – Three goals in the first 45 minutes of action lifted the Cowgirls past UTEP, 3-1, on Friday evening at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

Wyoming (2-2-0) found its attacking rhythm early, putting its first goal in the back of the net less than 12 minutes into the contest. Redshirt-junior forward Brittney Stark headed a cross toward goal that bounced off senior forward Alisha Bass before senior midfielder Summer Halle put it away.

Just over three minutes passed before Stark put her name in the scoring column. A pass across the 18-yard box from senior defender Tristan Tyrrell left her one-on-one with the UTEP goalkeeper, and she managed to chip it over the keeper's outstretched glove to double Wyoming's lead.

In the 27th minute, Stark would also double her own scoring total, this time on a pass from junior midfielder Morgan McDougal. Facing another scoring opportunity with just the goalkeeper to beat, Stark calmly placed a shot to the keeper's left and out of reach. The goal put the Cowgirls ahead 3-0, matching their largest lead of the season.

The Miners (0-5-0) were able to cut into the margin before halftime with a goal in the 35th minute. Redshirt-freshman defender Cayla Payne volleyed an attempted UW clearance back into the box, where freshman midfielder Anna Jimmerson redirected the ball past UW senior goalkeeper Georgia Rowntree.

In the second half, the physicality notched up and slowed down the offense on both sides. Four yellow cards were issued between the two teams and neither were able to find another goal. The Cowgirls earned their second win on the year to remain undefeated at home in 2017.

"Obviously when you get out to an early lead like we did tonight, it makes life so much easier," head coach Pete Cuadrado said. "We finished our chances today and the focus on coming out strong is a good sign. We've been playing well and haven't really been rewarded, so it's nice to finally get rewarded and get the result. We know we can do that, for us it's a matter of doing it every game."

Stark's five points are the most in a single game for a Cowgirl since Halle's six points on a hat trick against Air Force last season. Rowntree, along with senior defender Claire Parker and junior defender Taylor Burton, played all 90 minutes of Friday's game. Rowntree and Burton have yet to miss a minute of action this season. Stark now leads the Cowgirls with four goals on the year, while Tyrrell leads the team in assists after notching her second against the Miners. Bass and McDougal each earned their first assist of the season.

The Cowgirls return to the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex this Sunday to face the McNeese State Cowgirls. The match is slated for 12 p.m. MT and admission is free. Representatives from the Red Cross and UW SAAC will be on site to collect donations for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.