NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Nicholls State University sophomore forward Spencer Valdespino tied the record for goals in a single season with her 12th score of the year as the Nicholls State University women’s soccer team fell to conference-leading Stephen F. Austin 4-1 Sunday afternoon in Nacogdoches.

Already setting the new mark for points in the season after her two assist performance last week in the win over Central Arkansas, Valdespino tied the record set by Kaity Mattsson back in 2009 with her winner in the 46th minute of play to snap SFA’s (13-2-1, 8-1 SLC) seven-game conference shutout streak in the process.

The Colonels (10-5-1, 4-4) were already put in a bad spot after allowing four goals in the first half, including an own goal, but Valdespino’s shot pulled the Colonels within one in the second half. Unfortunately for the visitors, the Ladyjacks scored two goals within minutes of each other midway through the second to pull away for good.

The Ladyjacks suffocating defense and aggressive offense limited Nicholls to just nine shots in the match while SFA took 20 with eight shots on target to the Colonels’ four. Valdespino six shots were the most for any player in the match as just four Nicholls players earned at least one on the day.

Amanda Boylson (5-3-1) took the loss after allowing all four goals in 79 minutes of action, including picking up a yellow card ten minutes into the contest with four saves. Lacey Lee gave up the lone goal against SFA as she came on for starter Morgan Glick who had one save in the first period.

The yellow card Boylson garnered came on a foul in the box that gave Stephen F. Austin a penalty kick, which Hailey Hunt converted to give the Ladyjacks the 1-0 lead, which grew to 2-0 after the own goal in the 20th minute of play.

Valdespino’s goal came just seconds after the second half started, scoring off of a deflection to cut the Ladyjack lead to 2-1.

Unfortunately the floodgates opened as SFA’s Chelsea Raymond scored on a breakaway for her eighth goal of the season on a pass from Melissa Gaudet to make it 3-1. Just over two minutes later, Ladyjack midfielder Brenda Salazar created her own shot and scored her first goal of the season to make it 4-1 to put the game away for the home side.

The Colonels will close out their five-match road swing next Friday, with their only match of the weekend against Houston Baptist at 7 p.m. in Houston.

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