LAS VEGAS, Nev. (September 20, 2019) – After a tough match tonight at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, the Northern Arizona University women's soccer team (2-4-1) records another loss, falling to the Rebels 2-1.
For the last few games, the Lumberjacks have suffered from slow starts before dialing in offensively.
UNLV (3-4) got off to a quick start scoring in first two minutes of the game.
Taryn Benham, the junior goalkeeper for Northern Arizona, tried to steal the ball away from Izzy Perez, but was unable to make the save. Benham finished the game making two saves after facing 17 shots.
"This loss feels different," head coach
Kylie Louw said. "Our players played with so much heart and grit. As a coach you can't ask for anything more."
Defensively, the team played hard after the first scored goal. UNLV attempted twelve shots within the first half, only two on-goal. The rest of the shots were booted away by various defenders.
Emma Robson was able to defend the goal well, going one-on-one with UNLV's Lourdes Bosch. Bosch tried to pass the ball past her, but Robson was able to kick it out of the box. After another shot on-goal attempt by a Michaela Morris, Robson again tipped the ball away and sent it down the field.
Sydney Nickell, a defender for Northern Arizona, made her first shot-on-goal attempt of the season after a corner kick but was unable to score due to the shot being blocked by another player.
In just her 27 minutes of play during the first half,
Madison Montgomery took three shots, two being on-goal. Both of her shots on-goal were too strong and wide, sending the ball just outside of the both the top and right goal posts.
The 'Jacks made a total of seven shots in the first half and took four corners.
Montgomery was able to score at the 59th minute of the game, slipping the ball behind UNLV's goalkeeper, Emberly Sevilla, equalizing the scoreboard at 1-1. She ended the night taking a total of six shots, three being on-goal and one goal scored. She heads into the next game scoring the most goals on the team with four.
However, after Montgomery's goal, Bosch scored the game-winning goal for UNLV just two and a half minutes later.
The Lumberjacks wrapped up the second half totaling at seven shots with four being on-goal. Two freshmen took a total of five shots with three on-goal.
Abby Donathan recorded three shots, with two shots-on-goal while
Whitney Winans took two shots and one on-goal. In total, Northern Arizona outshot UNLV 22 to 17. However, UNLV had more shots-on-goal with six than NAU did at four.
"We didn't get the win but the growth the team showed is something to be incredibly proud of! We will tweak some things moving forward but this group is special," Louw said.
NAU will conclude their travel weekend as they head down to Las Cruces, N.M. to play New Mexico State University Sunday, Sept. 22 at 1 p.m. They will be back home on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7:00 p.m. to take on the University of Houston.
