The Dixie State women's soccer team lost in heartbreaking fashion Saturday for the second straight game, this time a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Chico State University.
 
Chico State jumped out to 2-0 lead early the first half, scoring two goals in a two-minute span. The first, scored by Pooja Patel in the 19^th minute, saw a deflected shot fall at Patel's feet, who buried the rebound for the Wildcats' first goal. The second goal included a double-assist, as Nicole Roberts headed the ball into the box to Patel, who flicked it ahead to Carlie Reader for the second Chico State goal in the 21^st minute.
 
The Red Storm (2-2) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard after the Chico State goals, as junior forward Megan Marchbanks (Provo, Utah/Springville HS) scored her first goal of the season in the 28^th minute to pull Dixie State to within one goal at 2-1.
 
The teams went back and forth in the second half, and the score remained 2-1 in favor of the Wildcats for the first 27 minutes of the period.  The Storm leveled the match at 2-2 in the 72^nd minute, as senior forward Jasmine Arollo (Glendale, Ariz./Apollo HS) scored on a free kick from 25 yards out.
The match seemed destined for overtime until Chico State regained the lead in the 84^th minute on the second goal of the night for Reader. Dixie State had two chances to equalize, but the Wildcats' goalkeeper turned both opportunities away. 
 
The Red Storm finished the match with 10 total shots and five on goal, while Chico State recorded 13 shots with eight on goal.
 
Dixie State returns to action at home on Saturday, with an exhibition match against the Real Salt Lake women's semi-pro team at 5 p.m.