LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The NM State women's soccer team couldn't hang on to its lead in the second half and fell to Missouri-Kansas City, 4-1, on Sunday at the Soccer Athletic Complex on senior day.
 
The Aggies (4-12-0, 3-4-0 WAC) were sharp out of the gate, connecting on a majority of their passes and held possession on the offensive end for most of the half.
 
"We played fairly well in the first half," head women's soccer coach Freddy Delgado said. "We stuck to the game plan. We had specific roles for specific players and they accomplished their task."
 
Sabrina Ruiz put NM State on the board first on a beautiful set piece when she headed in Devin Hart's corner kick from the left side in the 21^st minute.
 
The second half, however, was a different story for NM State. UMKC (10-5-1, 4-2-1 WAC) fired in the equalizer in the first minute of the second half on a shot from Taylor Andrzejewski. Minutes later, the 'Roos would take the lead for good when Emily Herndon and Lilly Cobb found Lexie Howard in the box to give UMKC the 2-1 lead just four minutes into the half.
 
NM State settled down after Howard's goal, but just wasn't as sharp with its passes like it was in the first half. The 'Roos capitalized and extended their lead, 3-1, when Olivia Hodison booted a ball top shelf from the right side.
 
Kara Priest put the game out of reach for NM State in the 85^th minute when she took a pass from Cobb and fired into the back of the net.
 
"In the second half, team wise, we didn't come out with energy," Delgado said. "We lost focus and all of a sudden we went down two goals and were trying to climb out of a hole. We still have a lot of growing up to do, mentally. Soccer wise, we've proven we can play with the best within the conference, but emotionally and psychologically we need grow up."
 
NM State honored its four seniors: Mikaela Haley, Cindy Buraczyk, Morgan Campbell and Katelyn Smith after the match in front of the Aggie Faithful with Sunday being the Aggies final home match of the 2015 season.
 
"We play them in back-to-back weeks, so we have an opportunity to take it to them the second time around," Delgado said when asked if Sunday was a teachable moment for a very young Aggies team.
 
NM State will conclude its Western Athletic Conference schedule on the road, starting with Chicago State at noon Mountain on Friday, Oct. 23, before its rematch with UMKC on Sunday, Oct. 25, at noon.