Box Score

BILLINGS, Mont. — The Crusaders turned in a solid effort, but the outcome wasn't what they wanted.

Riding a two-game win streak into Great Northwest Athletic Conference action, the Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team played tough in its league opener at Montana State Billings only to fall, 2-0, Saturday afternoon.

"Hats off to Billings, they are very good at capitalizing on mistakes and environment," said NNU head women's soccer coach Mary Trigg. "We were unfortunate to have wind be a factor in the first-half goal.
 

"As a team we possessed well and created dangerous attacks, now we just have to start taking our shots and capitalize on our opportunities," NNU's coach added.

The game-winner came on a bouncing ball in the 16^th minute of play, a long ball off the foot of Elizabeth Howard that the wind helped blow over Crusader keeper Daniele Ortiz.

It was the first goal allowed by Ortiz, the reigning GNAC Defensive Player of the Week, in 238 minutes, 40 seconds — more than 2 ½ games.

The game remained a 1-0 contest for more than 60-plus minutes as both teams exchanged chances before Jessica Spang iced the victory for the Yellowjackets with a goal with 12:01 remaining.

Ortiz finished with two saves in goal for the Crusaders (3-3-0 overall, 0-1-0 GNAC), who finished a four-game road trip and next host seventh-ranked Seattle Pacific on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Finkbeiner Park.