LARAMIE, Wyo. (10/31/22) – The University of Wyoming soccer team begins is Mountain West Conference Tournament on Wednesday. The top-seeded Cowgirls battle No. 5-seeded San Diego State at 4 p.m. at the UNM Soccer Complex in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Wyoming, sitting at 7-6-5 overall and 6-3-2 in league, enters the conference tournament as the hottest team in the bracket, having won three in row. That hot streak vaulted the Cowgirls from near the cutline for the conference tourney to regular-season conference champions.

The momentum is a byproduct of all the tweaks and adjustments throughout the year that have fruited a team that understands its identity and everyone's role.

"We have solidified our lineup, and that has helped with the consistency," head coach Colleen Corbin said. "It's helping with the understanding and with the relationships the players have on the field. That has allowed everybody to play at a really high level. People are excited, happy and confident, and this is exactly where we talked about being at the beginning of the year."

San Diego State – which currently holds a 7-5-8 overall record and a 5-3-3 mark in conference – got the better of the two in its first matchup with Wyoming. The Aztecs downed the Cowgirls, 2-1, Sept. 25 in San Diego.

While there are things Wyoming can pull from that first meeting and apply this time around, Corbin believes both squads have changed quite a bit in the last month.

"Most teams in this conference look different than they do in the beginning of the season," Corbin said. "San Diego State is a very good team. They've been in this position a lot. They've done really well in the Mountain West Tournament. But we look like a different team too since the last time we played. We are excited to have another opportunity to compete against them."

Senior Jamie Tatum paces the Cowgirls with a conference-best nine goals and four assists for 22 points. She was named Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year for her efforts.

Junior Alyssa Bedard, a First-Team selection, has netted five goals and one assist for 11 points on the season. Sophomore Maddi Chance has found the back of the net three times with a pair of assists for nine points.

Senior goalkeeper Miyuki Schoyen has made 13 starts for Wyoming. She lays claim to 48 saves and a GAA of 1.39.

San Diego State advanced to the semifinals by way of defeating No. 4-seeded Utah State after 22 rounds of penalty kicks.

Denise Castro, a First-Team selection, leads the Aztecs with seven scores and four assists for 18 points. Emma Gaines-Ramos, another First-Team honoree, adds six goals and seven assists for 19 points.

Alexa Madueno has started all 20 matches in net for San Diego State. She owns 90 saves and a GAA of 1.20.

The winner between San Diego State and Wyoming moves on to the title game, facing the winner of the New Mexico-San Jose State semifinal. The championship is set for Saturday at 6 p.m.