Box Score

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Crusaders did their best to rise to the challenge playing a tough foe on the road Thursday night.

In the end, though, host Concordia ended up with the bigger number on the scoreboard, topping the Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team, 3-0, in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action.

"Concordia is a great team and our girls played great in spots," NNU head coach Mary Trigg said of perennial NAIA national title contender Concordia, which is in its final season of a transition to the NCAA Division II level.

Unfortunately, against the talented Cavaliers — who in their GNAC debut season advanced to the league's 4-team tournament — NNU just didn't quite have the firepower on this day to keep up.

Quinn Williams scored in the 29^th minute, putting the Crusaders (2-5-0 overall, 0-2-0 GNAC) in a 1-0 deficit, and it stayed there for the next 25 minutes.

Gabrielle Ewing them made it a 2-0 game for the host Cavaliers (7-0-0, 2-0-0), who eventually iced the win in the 85^th minute.

Despite being outshot 24-7, NNU still had its chances, leaving Coach Trigg feeling optimist about things to come.

"I'm excited to see what we do when we put a complete game together," she said.

NNU gets the chance to do just that Saturday when the Crusaders play at Western Oregon.

Daniele Ortiz made six saves in goal in the contest for the Crusaders.