CALGARY – Looking to rebound from a season opening loss to the Mount Royal Cougars, the Lethbridge Pronghorns dug themselves a hole early and were unable able to recover, dropping their second consecutive game to the Cougars, 4-2 Wednesday night in Calgary.

Similar to the season opening game on Saturday, the Pronghorns surrendered goals in short periods of time and on this night allowed three goals in a 10-minute span of the first half to fall behind 3-0
 
The loss drops the Pronghorns to 2-0 on the season.
 
Mercedes Bourgeois and Kaleigh Harris scored in the second half to cut the Cougars lead to 3-2 but that would be as close as the Pronghorns would get. Harris has scored in each of the two Pronghorn conference games thus far.
 
Sydney Danielewicz, Natasha Fourlas, Monet Alonso-Cruz and Caitlyn Vieria scored for the Cougars in the win.

Sydney Danielewicz chipped the ball over the outstretched body of Pronghorn keeper Bridie Harding and into the back right corner of the net to open the scoring in the 21^st minute.

It wasn't long before the Cougars were up by two. Natasha Fourlas jumped high above the heads of Lethbridge's defensive line and connected perfectly with Bethany Middlemass' corner kick in the 27^th minute.

MRU finished off the half with a goal four minutes later when Monet Alonso-Cruz hammered home an unassisted goal, her first of the 2022-23 season.

Lethbridge found their footing in the second half after subbing in Rebecca McBride and Kiandra Boulter. McBride was a wall, being a solid assist for Harding while Boulter was the speed and skill needed up on the forward line.

The change led to a quick goal six minutes in to the second half for the Pronghorns from Mercedes Bourgeois, breathing new life into the squad. The goal was also Bourgeois' first of her Canada West career.

Continuing to push forward, the Pronghorns cut the deficit to one in the 74th minute. Kaleigh Harris battled through the body of Cougar keeper Torrance Langdon, finding her feet goal-side and sending the ball straight into the middle of the net to cut the Cougar lead to only one.

However, the momentum didn't last long as Mount Royal rookie Caitlyn Vieira capped off the night with the final goal only three minutes later. Zyna Centeno stripped the ball off the Lethbridge midfield and sent it left toward the foot of Vieria. Vieria sent it high over the head of Harding, kissing the crossbar as it bounced down and in.

The Pronghorns will be off this coming weekend and return to action the following weekend, traveling west to face the Trinity Western Spartans and Fraser Valley Cascades next Friday and Sunday respectively.