The Nevada women’s soccer team (3-11-1, 0-5-1) fell 5-1 against the Air Force Falcons (9-4-1, 4-2-0) on Sunday, Oct. 18 at Mackay Stadium. The Wolf Pack, still looking for their first conference win of the season, failed to match up with the Falcons’ fiery offense.
The Falcons took possession of the ball early in the first half, when senior midfielder Chase Borntreger recorded a shot on target that was saved by Nevada junior goalkeeper Iyan Hernandez.
Hernandez would continue to be a roadblock in the Falcons’ early efforts to establish a lead, saving two more shots on goal.
an Air Force opponent at Mackay Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 18. (Kameiyah DePerio/The
Nevada Sagebrush)
Shortly after, a misplaced pass from junior defender Mariana Brito near Nevada’s goalpost allowed Air Force junior forward Maddy Walsh to take control of the ball and make a quick through pass to Borntreger. Borntreger, with no defenders near her, was able to shoot past Hernandez and find the back of the net in the sixth minute.
The Wolf Pack struggled in both phases, unable to create any opportunities while the Falcons dominated time of possession.
In the 15th minute, senior midfielder Kendall Rippley connected with a pass from Walsh and successfully shot through a defender into the bottom corner of the goal to widen the score for Air Force at 2-0.
The Pack would finally record their first shot on goal in the 27th minute, when senior forward Olivia Loomis’s shot from afar was saved by sophomore goalkeeper Sydney Nelms.
In the remaining first half, Nevada’s defense was able to halt some of the early Falcons momentum until the 42nd minute.
A cross from Air Force freshman midfielder Olivia Jackson found senior forward Clara Tiegland and was headed in, putting the Falcons up 3-0 going into halftime.
Air Force’s momentum continued into the second half with two early shots on target in the 47th and 48th minute. Both shots were ultimately saved by Nevada fifth-year goalkeeper Mia Collins, who replaced Hernandez.
The Falcons continued to cut through the Wolf Pack defense. In the 55th minute, Tiegland found the back of the net again, this time assisted by senior midfielder Addie Doyle, to bring the score to 4-0.
Just two minutes later, the Falcons added insult to injury. A quick shot from junior midfielder Annika Jost from outside the box got past a Collins dive to put them up 5-0.
The Pack finally managed to put themselves on the board in the 88th minute.
Redshirt junior midfielder Jasmine Navarro got her foot on the ball and sent it into the net’s far corner thanks to a free kick assist from sophomore midfielder Saige McCusker.
The Pack’s late spark in the game wasn’t enough to make a difference, as they would fall short to the Falcons, 5-1, in yet another home game loss.
Nevada’s next opportunity to record a conference win will be against in-state rivals, the UNLV Rebels (3-9-3, 1-5-1), on the road on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m.
