LAS CRUCES, N.M. (Oct. 3)-The New Mexico State soccer team fell to Utah State, 3-0, in the WAC home opener. The Aggies moved to 6-4-2 and 0-2-0 in the conference, while USU improved to 5-4-4 and 2-0-0 in the league.

Sophomore midfielder/forward Lauren Cope and senior midfielder Nina Yanes led the Aggies with two shots each but the NM State offense stalled. Defensively, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Mikaela Bitner recorded a match-high six saves.

“I thought their back four did a pretty good job,” head coach Michael Needham said. “We didn’t do a good job of breaking their back four down particularly in the first half, but I thought we were better in the second half. Then, I feel like we were playing the ball better and that created more chances for us.”

In the 15th minute of action, on a rebound from a corner kick freshman midfielder Kendra Pemberton save USU a 1-0 lead when she found the edge of the net from 22-yards away on the right side.

After a 1-0 score at halftime, USU increased its advantage when sophomore defender Katie Crosland knocked a free kick into the net at the 54th-minute mark. USU added a goal in the final minute of play.

The Aggies continue WAC play with a pair of road matches at Boise State, Oct. 8, and Idaho, Oct. 10.