FORT COLLINS, Colo. (10/25/22) – The University of Wyoming soccer team enters its regular-season finale at Colorado State with plenty at stake. The Cowgirls – who already clinched a spot in the Mountain West Conference Tournament – can still claim the No. 1 seed if a couple breaks go their way.

The seismic nature of the finale is uncharted waters for Wyoming. The Cowgirls haven't participated in a conference tournament since 2018, meaning nearly the entire roster hasn't experienced the type of atmosphere that will be present Thursday at 3 p.m. at the CSU Soccer Stadium.  

With all that on the line, head coach Colleen Corbin's message to her team is simple.

"It's just another game," Corbin said. "The first games of conference hold just as much weight as the last games of conference, and it must be approached that way. The reason we've had the success we've had is because we've gone into every game understanding the value and the weight each game held.
"This game is no different."

As stated, Wyoming – sitting at 6-6-5 overall and 5-3-2 (17 points) in conference play – can share the regular-season title with a couple different results. The Cowgirls must first win, and that coupled with San Diego State defeating or trying New Mexico on Thursday, would give Wyoming a share of the crown.

The Cowgirls would lose the tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed in those scenarios. The only way Wyoming can seize the No. 1 seed is with a victory, a New Mexico-San Diego State draw and a San Jose State win over Fresno State.

That makes this year's edition of the Border War with Colorado State – which holds a 4-6-8 overall record and a 1-3-6 (nine points) in league action – the inverse of last season's game. The Rams had already clinched their spot in the conference tournament prior to their matchup with Wyoming in 2021, while the Cowgirls were eliminated from postseason play.

The Cowgirls leveraged their pride and love for their seniors to a 3-1 victory last year. It was a joyous first Border War for Corbin, and she's excited to re-live it again this time around.

"There are a lot of emotions that play into this rivalry," Corbin said. "A lot of our athletes know a lot of their athletes, having played club and high school together. Wyoming versus CSU means a lot as Wyoming student-athlete and as Wyoming coaches because it's bigger than us. It's bigger than soccer. It's about pride and wanting to do it for all the people that have had our back all season."

Senior Jamie Tatum – this week's Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week – paces the Cowgirls. She's racked up a league-best 20 points with eight goals and four assists. Three of those goals are game-winners, two of which occurred this past week against Fresno State and San Jose State, both in the 89th minute.

Those late heroics have become old hat for Wyoming. The Cowgirls have five go-ahead goals this season that have come after the 85th minute and four of those have occurred in the 89th minute or later.

Junior Alyssa Bedard lays claim to nine points for Wyoming on four goals and one assist. Sophomore Maddi Chance boasts seven points with a trio of scores and one assist.

Senior Miyuki Schoyen has started 12 games in net for the Cowgirls. She's allowed 18 goals, owns 42 saves and a GAA of 1.50.

Maddie Ogden has played a lion's share of Colorado State's minutes in goal the last two games. On the season, she's participated in 10 games, allowing five goals with 33 saves and a GAA of 0.78.

Liv Layton paces the Rams offensively. She's netted six goals and three assists for 15 points, while no other teammate has more than six points on the season.

Colorado State has fallen on hard times of late. After opening the season unbeaten in their first five matches, the Rams have failed to win a game and only logged two ties in their last five contests.

Wyoming has never lost to Colorado State. The Cowgirls lead the all-time series, 8-0-1.

Following the game in Fort Collins, Wyoming heads to the conference championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The tournament for seeds 3-6 begins on Sunday with the top-two seeds receiving byes to the semifinals, which start Nov. 2.