MOSCOW, Idaho—For the second straight game the University of Idaho soccer team put up three goals and walked off Guy Wicks Field the victors over the visiting New Mexico State Aggies, 3-2 Friday evening. The Vandals improved to 2-0-0 in the Western Athletic Conference.

“The girls worked their socks off today and they deserved everything they got,” head coach Pete Showler commented after the game. “We didn’t expect to be in the situation we were in the non-conference season, but now we are starting to click at the right time.”

Idaho (2-7-0, 2-0-0 WAC) got the game-winning goal from redshirt freshman Elexis Schlossarek in the 64th minute of play, midway through the second half. Schlossareck took the pass off Nitalia Zuniga’s free kick and blasted a shot from 30 yards out that went bar down off the crossbar and across the goal line. For Schlossarek it was her second goal on the season and her first career game-winner. From the defense position Zuniga had a helper on all three goals in the match, doubling her career total.  

“I do not think that has ever happened [having three assists in one game] Zuniga said. “We showed a lot of heart today and if we continue to do that we will be golden.”

New Mexico State (4-6-1, 1-2-0 WAC) battled the Vandals back and forth all evening. Idaho got on the board in the 21st minute off a corner kick that found Zuniga in the box and she played it on to Breanna Wilson who stuffed it home for the 1-0 lead. Five minutes later the Aggies tied the game with a goal from Jennae Cambra.

In the 36th minute junior defender Emily Ngan scored her first career goal with a shot from 20 yards out that skipped over a diving Jessica Schutter to give the Vandals a 2-1 lead.

Early on in the second half New Mexico State’s Layla Todd scored the equalizer, making the game 2-2. The final 25 minutes of play saw NMSU try to put together an offensive attack, but the Vandals were able to keep the Aggies at bay. Gabby Leong rejected NMSU’s best chance to tie the game up. She cleared the ball bound for an empty net with a game-saving header to keep the score at 3-2.

The Vandals will return to Wicks Field on Sunday to take on Kansas City at 1:00 p.m. PT.

NOTES: Wilson’s goal was the first of the season…freshman keeper Torell Stewart earned her first career win, coming in in relief at the start of the second half…Idaho scored has now scored three goals twice this season, marking the first time since the 2011 season…The Vandals now hold a 3-1-1 series lead over NMSU and have never lost at home to the Aggies…When scoring three or more goals in a match the Vandals are now 32-0-1 all-time.