NAMPA, Idaho — Makinzie Packwood scored her second goal of the season as the Central Washington University women's soccer team fell to Chaminade University 2-1.
The Wildcats (1-1-0) scored an equalizing marker in the 51st minute, but the Swords (1-1-0) tallied a 90th minute goal to secure the victory. Packwood's goal washer second of the season. Central outshot Chaminade 13-12.
Stacia Conely opened the Crimson and Black's offense with a shot in the fifth minute of play before Sydney Lowe forced Chaminade keeper Naomi Takata to turn aside her first shot three minutes later. A second effort off Lowe's shot from Packwood went just wide of the net.
A corner kick in the 16th minute gave way to another attempt on goal from Packwood. She fired a shot toward the corner of the frame, but Takata kept it away.
Megan Fox made her first save in the 24th minute when she kept a shot from Randi Fontes out. Fox was called on again in the 30th minute to repel another shot from Fontes.
Lowe had a pair of chances in the 31st and 34th minutes. Her first shot was blocked, while the second rang off the post.
Fox and Fontes found each other for a third time in the 40th minute and, for the third time, Fox came away with the stop. With just 28 seconds left in the first half, Fontes found the back of the net for the Swords. She took a ball from Sharon Cain and put Chaminade ahead in the waning seconds of the opening stanza.
"We had a great first half," CWU Head Coach Michael Farrand said. "We played ourselves through and created opportunities to score in a very hard fought game. We went to sleep on a ball inside of us and they finished a great goal."
Packwood's equalizer came six minutes into the second half. Paige Devine played a ball through the Swords' defense and found Packwood, who buried her shot to level the score at 1-1.
Chaminade's offense had the next three chances on goal. Fox stepped in to deny a pair of chances from Asya Holt. Fox was needed again in the 76th minute, turning aside a shot from Jenna McLean. Central's attack managed just one more chance on goal. Coming in the 80th minute, a shot from Tessa Sparks went wide of the woodwork.
For the second time in the game, the Swords' found themselves with a chance in the final 30 seconds of a half. A shot from Shantel Torres-Benito slid into the back of the net, putting Chaminade ahead with just seconds left.
"We thought we were playing ourselves out of it in the second half with a great goal from Mak. With five minutes to go we are looking toward overtime and a ball dropped right in on their player and she finished a great goal," Farrand added. "We talked about it, we need to be a bit better on closing out especially in the last few minutes. We are a little frustrated and grumpy. We are playing good soccer but we need to step up more. Missing Jax [Farmen] was tough, but our backline played really well. We gotta take one step forward after taking a step back."
The Wildcats are on the road in Monmouth, Oregon for a natural site matchup with Humboldt State on Friday (September 10). Kick-off is slated for noon.
Player of the Match: Paige Devine
Farrand on Devine: "Paige played as a defensive midfielder. She is one of our most consistent players week in and week out. She played a nice ball to Mak to pick up an assist."
