Nevada 2, Southern Utah 1
Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024
Reno, Nev. - Mackay Stadium

Nevada Goals
Olivia Loomis (2) - 1'
Rylee Husted (1) - 47'

Southern Utah Goals
Chelsea Loeser (1) - 24'

RENO, Nev. - Nevada struck in the opening minutes of each half Sunday, with Olivia Loomis' strike 28 seconds into the match propelling the Wolf Pack to a 2-1 victory over Southern Utah at Mackay Stadium.

The Wolf Pack (2-0-0) goes back on the road for two more next weekend—​visiting Cal State Fullerton for a Thursday 7 p.m. Match before closing with a 2 p.m. Kickoff Sunday at UC San Diego. Both matches will be streamed on ESPN+.​

Loomis' goal was her second of the weekend, and came on a strong run up the left flank. She turned in and fired past Thunderbird goalkeeper Darya Mosallaei with just 28 seconds gone on the game clock.

Nevada pressed its advantage in the wake of the Loomis opener, and nearly had its lead doubled in the sixth minute when Cassidy Bell rattled the right post off of a corner kick.

Mia Collins made the start in goal for the Wolf Pack Sunday, and made her first save on a shot from Whitney Gardner in the 18th minute. But Southern Utah (0-2-0) began to apply the pressure on the Wolf Pack back line, and its efforts were rewarded in the 24th minute when Chelsea Loeser's curling effort from just past 20 yards snuck just over Collins' reach and under the crossbar for the equalizer.

The Thunderbirds outshot the Pack, 11-6 in the opening half, and forced two more saves out of Collins in the final minute-plus.

But for the second time in as many matches, Nevada forced the action out of the break and quickly found the net. Once again, it was Emily Rich turning the right flank and serving a ball into the center of the box, and this time it was the local Sparks product, Rylee Husted, who got her foot on the ball and sent it past Mosallaei for the 2-1 lead in the 47th minute.

Collins made another of her six saves on the day in the 55th minute, palming Steph Roper's effort into the crossbar and out.

Serene Gronauer, who had four shots on goal in the match, just missed opening her 2024 account off a Wolf Pack corner in the 79th minute. The corner kick found its way to the waiting Gronauer at the far post, but Gronauer's touch lacked pace and Mosallaei was able to react in time and smother it. Mosallaei again denied Gronauer's straight-on effort four minutes later to keep the Wolf Pack advantage at one.

But Nevada did will to keep the field tilted over the final 10 minutes. The Wolf Pack's physical play pushed the Thunderbirds off the ball and disrupted any attempt to probe the attacking third.