Utah State women's soccer saw its nine-match unbeaten streak end with a 3-1 loss to Gonzaga at Luger Field in Spokane. Despite mounting attacking pressure, the No. 19 ranked Aggies could not overcome defensive breakdowns that allowed the Bulldogs to build an early lead.
Gonzaga capitalized on two first-half counterattacks to establish a 2-0 lead. Makayla Werner intercepted a pass and sent a long ball to Sophia Schlicklin, who beat defender Kaeda Wilson and goalkeeper Ivy Nystrom to open the scoring in the 18th minute. Shila Rasoul later assisted Kalia Franklin for a second goal in the 39th minute after a through ball passed between three Utah State defenders.
Utah State responded late in the first half when Solena Sellers scored her fourth goal of the season following a rebound from a shot by Kate Christian. Although the Aggies dominated much of the second half, including 15 shots after halftime, Gonzaga's Samantha Snorsky scored an insurance goal in the 75th minute on a rebound from a Shila Rasoul cross to secure the 3-1 victory.
The loss leaves Utah State with an overall record of 11-3-3 and a 4-1-1 record in Pac-12 play. This defeat follows a scoreless draw against Fresno State, a match in which the Aggies recorded 25 shots to Fresno State's four. Gonzaga improved to an 8-7-2 overall record and 3-3 in conference play following the win.
The Aggies have two regular-season matches remaining before the Pac-12 Tournament. Their next scheduled matches include a road game against San Diego State and a regular-season finale at home against Oregon State.
