HILLSBORO, Ore. - A pair of first-half goals derailed Portland State women's soccer on Thursday, resulting in a 2-0 loss to Iowa State at Hillsboro Stadium.
The Vikings, who were chasing the program's first-ever victory over a Big 12 opponent, fell to 1-4-0 on the year. The Cyclones picked up their third win of the season, improving to 3-3-1 overall.
Iowa State came out energized, tallying nine shots in the opening 45 minutes, two of which found the back of the net. Mira Emma netted the go-ahead goal in the 15th minute off an assist from Maddie Brant. In the 27th minute, Emma scored again, this time on a penalty kick following a Portland State foul.
PSU came out of the break with a chip on its shoulder, following a contentious first half that resulted in two yellow cards and 12 fouls.
For the first 20 minutes of the second half, the Vikings controlled possession, recording four shots and a corner kick. However, they failed to cash in. PSU goalkeeper
Eden Millan played a key role in keeping the Cyclones off the board in the final 45 minutes, tallying three saves before ISU secured the 2-0 victory.
The Vikings finished with 10 shots, while the Cyclones tallied 14. Midfielders
Lucy Quinn and
Abi Hoffman combined for six of Portland State's shots, while Quinn recorded the Vikings' lone shot on goal.
Making just her second start of the season on Thursday, Millan was solid between the pipes for PSU, notching a career-high five saves.
This weekend, Portland State will hit the road for the first time this year to take on Utah Tech on Sunday, Sept. 10 in St. George, Utah. The match is slated for 11 a.m. PT/12 p.m. MT.
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