Christmas came early for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Oakland Roots SC played the role of Santa Claus.

Despite suffering a 3-0 loss at FC Tulsa, the Switchbacks snuck into the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year as Roots SC defeated Lexington SC to keep the Kentucky club from leapfrogging Colorado Springs in the USL Championship Western Conference standings.

Saturday’s results landed Colorado Springs (10-13-7) in the eighth and final playoff spot as the league’s regular season came to a close.

Colorado Springs will be back at FC Tulsa for the first round of the playoffs, where the Switchbacks will endeavor to create a different outcome than the one that played out on Saturday.

The lopsided loss marked the Switchbacks’ fourth-straight road match without a victory, dating back to Aug. 9. 

Western Conference-leading FC Tulsa didn’t have any playoff implications in Saturday’s contest as they had already wrapped up the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage through the conference final, but Colorado Springs coach James Chambers predicted that Tulsa coach Luke Spencer’s team would still compete. 

He wasn’t wrong. 

Tulsa took an early lead off a header from forward Kalil ElMedkhar in the 10th minute. 

Despite conceding the early goal, Switchbacks goalie Christian Herrera did his best to keep the hosts within striking distance, making several key saves throughout the contest. He denied ElMedkhar on another header in the 24th minute and thwarted him again in the 45th. 

The Colorado Springs keeper finished with eight saves on the evening. The Switchbacks, on the other hand, did not register a single shot on goal.

Tulsa’s leading scorer Taylor Calheira put the game away in the second half with his 14th and 15th goals of the season. He struck in the 57th and 79th minutes.