CEDAR CITY, Utah - Despite facing a two-goal deficit in the first half and trailing by one with seconds to play, Nevada soccer fought back to draw even with Southern Utah 3-3 on Friday afternoon.
Fifth year defender Gabby Brown recorded her first career multi-goal match, knocking in the tying penalty kick goal with 30 seconds left in regulation. Luz Arreaga added to Nevada's scoring with her first goal of the season and the fifth goal of her career. Senior Lauren Muff and junior Penny Murphy each recorded their first assists of 2023
"Today was a very hard fought game," head coach Vanessa Valentine said. "We focused a lot on our attack and we managed to score three goals, which is not an easy task on the road. We have some things we need to work on defensively, but I am very happy overall with the resiliency our team displayed today. They left everything on the field as they battled until the 90th minute to tie the game. The girls showed a lot of heart today and I cannot be more proud.
Nevada quickly controlled the possession to open the first half and eyed early offensive opportunities. Southern Utah, however, capitalized off its first corner kick of the match and found the back of the net to take a one-goal lead.
After Southern Utah extended its lead 2-0 in the 41st minute, Nevada responded with a score of its own one minute later. Murphy placed the ball in the space of Nevada's offensive attack, with Brown knocking the header in the back of the net to cut the deficit going into halftime.
The Pack charged out of the gates to swing the momentum in the second half. Muff found an open Arreaga, who fired the ball for the score to knot the match at two goals each.
Southern Utah looked to retake the lead by firing a pair of shots on goal, but goalkeeper Emily McCue collected the pair of saves to keep it tied with 25 minutes to play. After the Thunderbirds came up with two saves off a pair of Wolf Pack shots on goal, Southern Utah capitalized off a free kick and scored with under 10 minutes left.
Turning up the tempo offensively, Nevada refused to relinquish. The Pack drew a foul inside the penalty area with just 30 seconds left, with Brown sinking the goal with ease to tie the score back up.
Nevada continues its road trip in Utah on Sunday, taking on Utah Tech at 12 p.m.
Notes
- Gabby Brown scored her seventh and eighth career goals on Friday. She used her 130th career shot to score her first goal, moving into fourth on the program's career shots list.
- Brown recorded her first multi-goal match of her career and she is the first Nevada soccer player to score two goals since Luz Arreaga (Sept. 4, 2022 vs. Sacramento State).
- Penny Murphy recorded the first assist of the season and tallied the third assist of her career.
- Lauren Muff recorded her second career assist and her first of the season. It was her first assist since Oct. 3, 2021.
- Serene Gronauer made her first career start on Friday. Trinity Sandridge and Alexis Friesen made their first starts of the season.
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