Box Score

NAMPA, Idaho — Determination and patience paid off big time Monday for the Crusaders.

The Northwest Nazarene women's soccer team showed its determination with stingy defense, stymieing wave after wave by the visiting Gators.

Offensively patient, NNU took advantage of its chances as Kelsey Martin scored twice to lift the Crusaders to a 2-0 victory over San Francisco State in nonconference action at Finkbeiner Park on the NNU campus.

"It wasn't pretty but it's great to get our first win of the season," NNU head women's soccer coach Mary Trigg said.

"Our defense and goalkeeper were solid against a very direct team," added the Crusaders coach, as she saw her defense block a variety of shots to help out keeper Daniele Ortiz who made 11 saves — including three huge 1-on-1 stops, earning the shutout win.

Ortiz made a diving stop late in the first half on a Kimber Lohman chance, and another big stop on a Brittany Oldham shot, deflecting it off the crossbar.

NNU (1-1) itself also hit a crossbar as Nicole Nsa nearly snapped the scoreless deadlock with a blast off the bar with 33 minutes, 32 seconds gone in the game.
 

Ortiz's hard work in goal — and that of NNU's defense which weathered a 30-shot onslaught by the Gators — kept the game scoreless, though, and set the stage for a game-changing kick by Martin.

From 30 yards out following a foul on the Gators, the Crusader sophomore sent a perfect free kick towards the goal, which banged off the crossbar then down and into the net for what proved to be the game-winner with 29:18 left to play.

NNU managed to hold off the Gators, who came on in waves looking to tie the game, before Martin struck again with 58 seconds remaining to ice the victory.

This time, teammate Hannah Holm set up the goal with a strong run down the left side of the field before she threaded a perfect pass across the goal-box to Martin on the right side.

NNU's sophomore easily booted home her second goal of the game to earn the Crusaders a hard-fought win in a game where SFSU (0-2) outshot the home team 30-11.

"Every player battled and was determined to get the win," said Trigg, whose team now hits the road for games at Holy Names (Calif.) on Thursday and Dominican (Calif.) on Saturday.