BILLINGS, Mont. - The Carroll College Women's Soccer team dropped a hard-fought Cascade Collegiate Conference opener on Friday afternoon, falling 3-2 at Rocky Mountain College.

The Fighting Saints (2-1-2) dropped their first game of the 2025 season on Friday at Wendy's field, but living up to their moniker - they didn't go down without a fight.

A tightly-contested opening frame saw just a a combined six shots between the two teams (CC 2, RMC 4), but it was the Battlin' Bears who would carry a lead going into the half. Grace Curnow opened the scoring with a shot that deflected off a Carroll defender in the 22nd minute leading to a 1-0 Rocky lead at halftime.

In the 62nd minute, Rocky doubled their lead on a goal from Emma Lensing. Then, just seven minutes later, Lensing would assist on a Mya Maack goal to give the Bears a commanding 3-0 lead with only 20 minutes to play.

Down to their final five minutes, the Carroll attack was amplified. Hayley Smith (Woods Cross, Utah / JR) scored her first goal of the season on an assist from Sydney Coulter (Colorado Springs, Colo. / SR).

In the 88th minute, captain Ella Kuenzli (Bigfork, Mont. / SR) netted her second goal of the season, and the second goal of the game for the Fighting Saints.

Unfortunately for Carroll, the dramatic sprint to the finish would fall in favor of Rocky, as the comeback bid ran out of time.

Rocky heavily outshot the Saints on the afternoon (14-5), but Maria Ackerman (Billings, Mont. / JR) was able to finish with four saves in her hometown.

Carroll will have a week to prepare for their first CCC doubleheader of the year, as they travel to Western Washington for Friday and Saturday games against Evergreen State and Northwest.