The UCCS Women’s Soccer team ended their latest season 8-1, winning all their games up until the semifinals where they lost to Westminster in the semifinals on April 23.
The success the team had this season as a whole also transferred to individual players like Tarah Patterson, who surpassed her career record and broke the school record for most goals in UCCS history.
Patterson led the conference with .778 goals per game and 1.89 points per game. She finished the season with a team high seven goals and 17 points scored, according to Go Mountain Lions.
Patterson is a first-year graduate student majoring in business management who will continue to play one more season with the women’s soccer team. She plans to graduate in May 2022.
She has been on the team since 2017, joining after transferring from Washington State University. Patterson is from Colorado Springs and attended Sand Creek High School.
Patterson expressed how grateful she was for this season even though it was shortened this year.
The team played only eight games instead of 16, but Patterson was happy because she was able to play the game she loves.
Patterson said that when she broke the record, she was in shock because even though she knew she was close, she was not trying to focus too much of her attention on that.
“Soccer is a team sport and if you focus too much on yourself then you will not mold together on the field,” Patterson said. “While I am still grateful and blessed to be have been given the opportunity to break the record, I would not have been able to accomplish it without my teammate.”
When asked how team bonding had been, she said that even though COVID-19 had put a halt on many team activities, they were still able to pull together and complete an amazing season. According to Patterson, the team was well molded and worked very well with each other.
“Being able to play and get my master’s degree is something that I never had imagined for myself, and I am so truly grateful that I get to experience this,” she said.
Patterson received the RMAC Co-Academic Player of the Year award.
