VALPARAISO, Ind. – Despite stellar play from sophomore Ashley Martin, the Aggie defense couldn't fend off a persistent Valparaiso offense in the second half as the New Mexico State women's soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to the Crusaders Friday night at Brown Field.
 
"Valpo did a very good job making it a physical game," Aggie head coach Freddy Delgado said. "I was proud of our effort from beginning to end, but unfortunately we couldn't execute our game plan the way we wanted."
 
Valparaiso's (1-2-0) April Cronin came out of the gates firing, testing the Aggie (0-3-0) defense and Martin with a shot just 1:39 into the game. The Aggies responded well and took three-straight shots at the Crusader's keeper with two coming on goal. Audriana Chavez's second shot was a rocket towards the net, but was blocked by Valpo's defense.
 
The Crusaders tried to take advantage of NM State's substitution at the 23:23 mark, but the young Aggie defense was able to communicate effectively and keep Valparaiso off the scoreboard. Cronin again tried to spark the Valparaiso offense in the last 15 minutes of action in the first half, but Martin and the Aggie defense rose to the challenge to keep the match 0-0 heading into the break.
 
Despite giving up a whopping eight corner kicks in the first half, the Aggie defense found a way to fend off the Crusader offense. Valparaiso, however, ended the match with a 15-1 advantage in corner kicks over NM State and a 22-10 edge in shots taken.
 
"We calmed down and executed our game plan, but got riled up when they put the pressure on us," Delgado said, referring to the pressure the Crusaders put on NM State late in the first half and into the second. "We're still a young team and still trying to find composure at the most difficult of times."
 
With 49:34 on the clock, Martin made a great deflection on a shot from Valpo's Natalia Kontul. The Crusader's Cory Griffith finally found a break in the Aggie defense with 63:26 on the clock from the left side and gave Valpo the 1-0 lead.
 
After checking in for Gabby Campbell, freshman Valerie Maestas blasted a shot on goal but Sydney Galvez-Daley was there to make the save for Valparaiso. After a foul by the Aggies on the ensuing possession, Grace Rogers found a leaping Griffith for the header to give the Crusaders a 2-0 lead with 68:29 on the clock.
 
Martin, a Rio Rancho, N.M., native, finished the night with 11 saves for her third-career match with double-digit saves.
 
POSTGAME NOTES: Freshman Reilly Marks made her first collegiate appearance as an Aggie at the 38:54 mark for Gabby Campbell…this is the fourth time Valparaiso has won its third match of the season after starting 0-2 and second time in as many years (1998, 2004, 2015-16)…NM State has now started the season 0-3 four separate times in program history (2009, 2014-16)…Friday was the third time in as many matches that the Aggies have had a different line-up.