LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's soccer team battled but conceded a late goal in a 1-0 loss to Northern Arizona on Sunday afternoon at the Soccer Athletic Complex.
 
The Aggies (1-5-2) started the game attacking the Lumberjack (3-4-1) back line, with Shea O'Connor and Corey Kizer combining for three shots by the 9^th minute. However, the tide quickly turned back to the Lumberjacks as they forced back-to-back saves from Dmitri Fong in the 16^th and 17^th minutes.
 
Despite a shot in the 31^st minute from Emma Smith that went wide, the Aggies struggled to find scoring opportunities in the first half while Fong added three more saves in the 33^rd, 34^th and 40^th minutes. The rest of the half passed without a major scoring opportunity from either side and they entered the locker room tied 0-0.
 
NAU started the second half controlling the ball in the midfield and working it into their offensive third, adding two more shots on goal in the 48^th and 50^th minutes. Then the momentum flipped and NM State began to push the issue with Smith and Hannah Leitner especially effective out wide.
 
This renewed push for the Aggies led to a shot on goal from Smith in the 52^nd that was turned away by Taryn Benham, leading to an NM State corner. On the corner kick, Andrea Ridgely crossed the ball into the box where Katie Martinez connected with a header, but Benham made a leaping stop to keep the game tied.
 
New Mexico State had another golden opportunity to score but this time, a header from O'Connor in the 68^th minute missed wide. After the Aggies conceded a corner kick, NAU's Kayla Terhune found Kiana Miyazoto who finished to give NAU a 1-0 lead in the 75^th minute.
 
With time winding down, Alexa Barrera received a ball on the left side of the 18-yard box in the 81^st minute and made a move to shed her defender. However, Barrera's shot was saved Benham at the near post. Then, Jess McDow ripped a shot on a free kick in the 82^nd minute that made it through the congestion in the box but Benham was again there to make the stop.
 
Fong made two more saves in the 86^th and 87^th minutes to keep the Aggies in the game but NM State was unable to find the equalizer and fell 1-0.
 
New Mexico State posted 13 shots on the afternoon with six of those on goal. Fong made 10 saves, her second-straight match with double-digit saves.
 
NM State wraps up its non-conference slate with a trip to South Dakota when they take on South Dakota on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 3 p.m. (MT) and South Dakota State on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 11 a.m.
 
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