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HILLSBORO, Ore. — Throw a brick at this Portland State women's soccer team, and you'll have to apologize to the brick.
 
With everything going against them – a player sent off, a penalty kick called for the other team, their opponent on the front foot – the Vikings (1-1-0) pulled out a 1-0 win over Nevada Friday at Hillsboro Stadium behind gritty performances from senior Katie Forsee and redshirt junior goalkeeper Abbie Faingold.
 
Forsee scored the game-winning golden goal for the Vikings behind a brilliant individual effort in the 104th minute, after redshirt junior goalkeeper Abbie Faingold kept the Vikings in the match with a PK save in the 81st minute. All of this came after the Vikings' Regan Russell received a second yellow with 18 minutes left in regulation, forcing the Vikings (1-1-0) to play 10v11 against the Wolf Pack (1-2-0) from then on.
 
The Vikings' toughness Friday gives first-year head coach Katie Burton her first three points at the helm, and follows a string of promising results in the early season behind a 6-1 exhibition win over Fraser Valley and a narrow, 2-1 loss to perennial power University of Portland last week.

"Our team was a physical presence today," Burton said after the win. "It got a bit chippy but they stayed the course and put their heads down and kept grinding as a unit. They proved a point today regarding their mental strength, playing a man down. I couldn't be prouder of their ability to compete and get the job done.

"This win gives us confidence going forward. Overtime is never something you want to go into, but this will set us up mentaly and physically for the Big Sky."
 
Friday's match started out looking like a repeat of the Vikings' performance against Fraser Valley last Tuesday, as they dominated the first half and the start of the second. The Vikings were outshooting the Wolf Pack 12-1 by the 60th minute of the match, and held the Wolf Pack without a shot on goal until the 64th minute.
 
Forsee had two of the Vikings' better early chances for a goal, with both coming via her head. Forsee headed a corner from Liv Jillings that bounced off the crossbar in the 39th minute, and then headed a free kick on frame from redshirt senior Kristin Moyer in the 60th minute.
 
Things started to turn for the Vikings following Forsee's second header, however, as Nevada found their way into the match from there. Down 12-1 in shots until the 60th minute, the Wolf Pack turned the tables on the Vikings while outshooting them 6-1 over the next 20 minutes. Russell's second yellow came during that stretch, which also featured four athletic saves from Faingold.
 
It didn't get better for the Vikings from there, either, as Angel Meriwether got tripped up in the box and was awarded a penalty kick with only 9:48 left in regulation. A goal for the Wolf Pack at that point would have likely been decisive, but Faingold read Meriwether's shot well, blocking it with her body to keep the Vikings level.
 
Faingold has now saved two penalty kicks in her Viking career, after she also saved a penalty in the Vikings' 3-2 loss to Southern Utah last season. Additionally, Faingold's eight saves in Friday's match equals the career high she set in the Vikings' match against Sacramento State last season.
 
Faingold's save on the penalty helped the Vikings right the ship on offense, and Forsee even had a good look at a potential game-winner in the final minute of regulation. Freshman Rilee Castilla sent Forsee a ball up with about 30 seconds left, releasing Forsee with all kinds of space in front of her. Forsee had a tough angle to work with, however, as she worked from deep up the right side of the field back towards the center and couldn't slot a shot past Nevada goalkeeper Lauryn Horstdaniel.
 
Both sides had chances in overtime before Forsee's game-winner eventually sealed the match for the Vikings.
 
Nevada's Rachel Gensch sent a hard shot from distance to the top of the Vikings' goal in the 98th minute that Faingold was just able to punch over the bar. Forsee then sent a good ball up to freshman Ellie Vasey, who got in behind the defense in the 101st minute. Vasey couldn't bend a left-footed shot past Horstdaniel, however, leaving Forsee to provide the heroics a few minutes later.
 
Forsee received the ball from junior Morgan Matthews on her goal, after Matthews headed a loose ball up the field following a free kick. Matthews' header found Forsee alone on the right side but still with two defenders to beat. Forsee cut past Nevada defender Bryanna Wiehe, however, and the other defender was too late in closing out before Forsee launched a left-footed shot that tucked just inside the left post.
 
Forsee's winner marks the fifth game-winning goal of her Portland State career, tying her for fourth all-time with Megan Martin (2009-12) and Amanda Dutra (2009-12).  Friday was the first time Forsee had won a match for the Vikings in overtime, however, and will certainly be one the senior and 2016 All-Big Sky first-team selection will remember.
 
The Vikings will now look to keep their momentum going when they host Gonzaga in their next match, Sunday, at Hillsboro Stadium. Kickoff between the Vikings and Bulldogs is scheduled for 3 p.m. (PT).
 
Match Notes: The Vikings improve to 6-2-0 all-time against Nevada with Friday's win…The Vikings have won six in a row now against the Wolf Pack, and the last four have all been shutouts…Forsee led the Vikings with three game-winning goals (out of six) last season, and now has the Vikings' first in 2017.