PUEBLO, Colo. --- The Western Oregon men's soccer started the 2024 season at then-No. 2 CSU-Pueblo, falling to the ThunderWolves 3-0 on Sept. 5.

It was an early wake-up call that catapulted the Wolves to an 11-match unbeaten streak (10-0-1), their first national ranking (which they stayed all season), the third-year program's first GNAC title and NCAA berth and its first NCAA Championship win by defeating Point Loma 2-0 in the first round Thursday in Pueblo.

Unfortunately for WOU its season came to an end where it started Saturday, falling to top-seeded CSU-Pueblo 3-2 at Art & Lorraine Gonzales Stadium - but did so in a much different fashion. WOU tied the game twice in the second half and appeared destined to a shootout before the ThunderWolves scored in the 87th minute to come away with the victory.

The Wolves close the season 14-5-1 with plenty of program firsts under its belt (as previously stated).

WOU fell behind CSU-Pueblo (15-3-3) in the 15th minute and the score remained that way into halftime.

The Wolves - much like Thursday - got rolling in the second half as Jacob Garcia hit a streaking Nathan Jimenez for a goal in the 48th minute to tie the match 1-1. For Jimenez, it was his second goal of the tournament along with adding an assist. But the tie lasted just 10 minutes as CSU-Pueblo regained the lead in the 58th minute..

The score remained 2-1 until the 82nd minute when WOU's Yahir Ocampo Navarro picked up a loose ball 40 yards out, dribbled into just inside the top of the penalty area and shot it into the bottom-right corner to make it 2-2.

The game appeared it may head into a shootout before a long throw in by CSU-Pueblo led to a header for a goal in the 87th minute to take a 3-2 lead it wouldn't reilinquish.