Trailblazers women soccer's strong performance on both sides of the ball fell short in a 2-0 loss to Northern Arizona Sunday afternoon.
WHAT HEAD COACH MOLLY ROUSE SAID: "Today was a great opportunity to compete against a solid team that will closely mimic our upcoming WAC opponents. It was encouraging to see our group create so many quality chances, while rotating deep into our roster. Ultimately, the result came down to which team was better able to execute in critical moments. As we have more players working back into the mix, we look forward to our ability to maintain a higher level from start to finish of the match. We will utilize what we have learned from today to better prepare for our WAC home opener on Thursday vs New Mexico State."
HOW IT HAPPENED: The game's intensity was apparent right from the kickoff. NAU wasted no time firing off a shot on goal in the third minute. Dixie answered with three shots including one on goal in the fifth minute.
Despite several strong attacks throughout the course of the first half, the score remained tied at 0-0 going into the half.
In the second half, Dixie State started off on the attack with a shot by Jill Bennett and a shot on goal by Kenna Sparks. The momentum shifted in favor of the Lumberjacks as NAU scored a goal in the 60th minute. Later, NAU found themselves on a fast break and were able to score a second goal in the 83rd minute.
In the final seven minutes, Dixie State created four different chances with attacks at the goal but couldn't convert any shots into goals and NAU walked away with a 2-0 win.
STAT BREAKDOWN: Whitley Griffiths led the Blazers with six shots.
Kenna Sparks also had impressive offensive numbers with three shots with all three on frame.
Kayla Gonzales was in the net for the Trailblazers and played the full 90 minutes. She came away with seven saves.
Dixie State ended the game with 18 total shots and six on goal while Northern Arizona ended with 15 total shots and nine on goal.
NOTES TO KNOW: Dixie State is now 4-6-0 overall on the season.
UP NEXT: The Trailblazers will start WAC action first hosting New Mexico State on Thursday, Sept. 23 and then Grand Canyon on Saturday, Sept. 25th.
