A golden opportunity to continue building momentum quietly slipped away for Colorado College on Sunday.

Now the Tigers need to pick up the pieces in time for opening weekend of Conference USA play.
 
Cal Poly's Haley Walker scored the only goal of the match with 17:22 left in regulation, lifting the Mustangs to a 1-0 victory in CC's 2009 non-league finale at Stewart Field.

The Tigers suffered their first home loss of the season and dropped to 4-3-1 overall despite finishing with a 21-10 advantage in shots and a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.

“Hopefully we learned a valuable lesson – that we need to play with energy and desire every day,” said head coach Geoff Bennett. “We didn't do that in the first half today. We rebounded a little in the second half, but weren't able to take advantage of our chances.

“Give Cal Poly credit. They came in here and beat us on a Sunday, which is something not many teams do. Now It's important for us to look at ourselves in the mirror, see what we're made of, and get ready for conference play.”

Walker, a freshman, nudged a soft bouncer into an open net at 72:38 after CC keeper Caitlin Hulyo got caught up in a scramble about five yards outside the right post. Junior forward Morgan Miller earned an assist on the game winner, getting a loose ball to an open Walker out of traffic in front.

Senior goalkeeper Coral Hoover made seven saves for Cal Poly as the visitors from San Luis Obispo, Calif., evened their record at 4-4. Hoover's biggest stop of the afternoon came in the 75th minute, when she was in perfect position to rob Kelly LaVoie from 10 yards out in the middle of the box.

Colorado College opens C-USA next Friday, playing host to SMU before meeting the University of Tulsa on Sunday.