In its second come-from-behind victory in as many matches to start the season, Colorado College served notice on Sunday that it's a team to be reckoned with in 2009.

Junior forward Tiffany Brown scored the game-winning goal midway through the second half, lifting the Tigers to a 2-1 triumph over Washington State University in the final game of the CC/Fairfield Inn Invitational at Stewart Field.

Brown also set up senior midfielder Kelly LaVoie's tally with 12:15 left in the first half after the visiting Cougars had taken an early lead. 

Sophomore goalkeeper Caitlin Hulyo finished with four saves in backstopping the win.

“That's probably one of the best teams we've played in the last three or four years,” CC head coach Geoff Bennett said of Washington State, which was ranked as high as No. 19 nationally in last week's polls. “They're well coached, they're super-athletic and they love to attack. I thought our back line did a great job today. We absorbed pressure. We bent a handful of times but obviously didn't break. To go through 90 minutes and limit them to five shots on goal is something I'm very proud of.”

After a strong start, the Tigers saw WSU gain momentum and earn a flurry of corner kicks during the middle part of the opening half. The pressure finally paid off at the 22:46 mark, when Carly Dobratz was able to head a serve by Jacquelyn Roth into the Colorado College net.

LaVoie's goal, her second of the weekend, shifted the pendulum back into CC's favor before the intermission, setting the stage for Brown's game winner from the right side of the box that grazed the cross bar on its way into the cage. Junior midfielder Meredith Smith set up the goal with a nice cross.

“It shows great character on our part,” Bennett said of the comeback effort. “Our team chemistry is good right now, the kids are all pulling for each other and we're excited about where we might be able to go this year. But we're not naïve. We know there's a lot we still need to work on. The good thing about playing a team like Washington State is they expose your weaknesses. We got a good look today at what we need to work on in training.”

The Tigers travel to the Pacific Northwest next weekend to meet the University of Portland and University of Washington at the UW Invitational in Seattle.

In Sunday's earlier game at Stewart Field, Drake and Syracuse battled to a 2-2 overtime tie.