LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's soccer team conceded an own goal early and dropped a 3-0 decision to South Dakota in its final non-conference home game on Friday evening.
 
"That was a tough one," said head coach Rob Baarts. "I think it was one of those games where we were battling and battling and playing great ball and that was our one game that honestly I'm not sure anything was going to go right for us. You start the game off with an own goal right at the start and then your sideways and it's hard to pull that back in."
 
The Aggies, playing without leading scorer Aileen Galicia, got off to a slow start when an attempt to clear a Coyote cross in the box ricocheted off an Aggie and past Ashley Martin to give USD the 1-0 lead in the first minute.
 
Despite giving up the early own goal, NM State dominated possession for much of the rest of the half and even had a few opportunities to knot the score before halftime. Its best opportunity came in the 33^rd minute when Rebecca Mazzie received a ball at the top of the box and sent in a rocket that bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and out.
 
South Dakota managed only three shots in the first half, none of which challenged Martin, and the Aggies went into the half down 1-0 despite holding a 10-3 advantage in shots.
 
The second half started with both teams getting shots on goal with Alexa Barrera's shot in the 50^th minute saved by USD's Parker Rytz and Dmitri Fong, who entered for Martin at halftime, made a save on a chance from Kellee Willer, also in the 50^th minute.
 
Barrera would have another chance a minute later in the 51^st but her shot didn't quite curl enough and it hit off the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.
 
South Dakota would extend its lead to 2-0 in the 56^th minute when a foul in the box set up a penalty kick that Taryn LaBree knocked in past Fong. NM State would try to cut into the deficit but a corner kick in the 57^th minute was cleared, a shot by Emma Smith in the 63^rd minute went wide and two more corner kicks in the 68^th and 77^th minutes failed to produce a scoring chance.
 
With the Aggies desperately trying to stage a comeback, the Coyotes got a perfect through ball from Taylor Cotter to a streaking LaBree who calmly put away her second goal of the match in the 82^nd minute for the final tally of 3-0.
 
"We got to a point where we were peaking and I think we got a slap of reality," added Baarts. "I think this will be a good eye-opener for us going forward into the next game and going into El Paso because UTEP's going to be the same hard-working team as South Dakota but with more talent. Which, if we show up like we did today, we're going to be in big trouble. My hope is we'll rally, come back to who we are and have a good battle in El Paso."
 
New Mexico State outshot USD 16-9 with both teams recording five shots on goal. The Aggies held a 6-3 advantage in corner kicks while South Dakota's Parker Rytz recorded five saves to two for Fong.
 
The New Mexico State women's soccer team is back in action as it wraps up non-conference play in El Paso for the Battle of I 10 against UTEP on Sunday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. (MT). Fans unable to make the trip to the Sun City can watch the action thanks to Watch Conference USA.