LARAMIE – The Cowgirls will go 39 days between home games.
 
Wyoming defeated South Dakota 5-2 on Aug. 30 at the Madrid Sports Complex and will next play in the friendly confines on Oct. 7 against San Jose State.
 
Still, this has been a September to remember for Josh Purdum's road warriors.
 
The Cowgirls, who posted a program-best 7-2-0 record during non-conference play, open the Mountain West schedule against Nevada on Thursday at Mackay Stadium (7 p.m., MW+).
 
UW is 5-0 on the road this season and on a four-game winning streak (all road games) that included last week's 1-0 Border War victory at Colorado State.
 
"It's just the mentality that no matter where we play, we're going to be who we're going to be," explained Purdum, who is in his third season as UW's head coach. "There are certain things that we need to do to help us prepare on the road. Obviously, when we're missing class, all those things can be a distraction. I think the entire team has handled that extremely well.
 
"But once you get one on the road, you're hungry for more. I think that hunger has just kept our mentality going."
 
The Cowgirls suffered a pair of 2-1 losses at home to Weber State, the preseason Big Sky favorite, and South Carolina, now ranked No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.
 
UW is No. 68 in RPI, which is a program high and the highest ranking among MW teams.
 
"Response is everything," Purdum said. "Looking back on those two games, they certainly helped us look under the hood at things we can improve, and I think we've made some good adjustments since then."
 
A year ago, the Cowgirls were 5-1-1 to start the 2025 season and ascended to No. 68 in the RPI before a disappointing 2-4-4 finish in conference play.
 
This team is significantly deeper, more experienced and better balanced. Purdum has his substitution patterns down to a science, and the players have his system down pat.
 
"We're getting on the same page while adapting to how teams are adapting to us," Purdum said. "We've shown well that we can adjust, we can be adaptable, and we can still win in different ways."
 
Alyssa Glover, who led the MW with 11 goals and 25 points last season, has a team-high four goals and 11 points. The senior star also has a lot more help.
 
Nine different UW players have scored goals through nine games. Maddie Burr and Isabel Vasco have three goals and nine points each. Alisa Bunn has two goals.
 
Lauren Westwood, the MW defensive player of the week, became the fifth Cowgirl to tally a game-winning goal with her first goal of the season against the rival Rams.
 
"I think team-wise we have a lot more depth slowly coming into the team and now that everybody kind of understands (Purdum's) style, it's really coming out on the field. I feel like we're working better together and accomplishing what he wants us to accomplish," Glover said earlier in the season. "It's kind of just been about like what I can do to help this team eventually get a Mountain West championship at the end of the season and really enjoying my last year here."
 
Purdum ran through an impressive list of Cowgirls who have stepped up their leadership and production this season.
 
Having goalkeeper Haley Bartel, who has allowed six goals with 26 saves and posted five shutouts, as the last line of defense is a nice security blanket.
 
"The biggest thing is everyone's so focused on our big end goal," said Bartel, who is now UW's all-time leader in shutouts with 23. "I think that's the different part about this year is our energy to really want that."
 
UW won the MW regular-season title in 2022 and lost on penalty kicks in the conference tournament championship.
 
The road back to the top begins on the road, where these Cowgirls seem to feel right at home.
 
"It's a good time to be where we're at, and I think the group is excited," Purdum said. "We just had our midyear individual meetings, and everyone's really excited about what we've done, but they're hungry for more."
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.
 
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