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HILLSBORO, Ore. — An 86th minute goal from San Jose State's Lupita Estrada gave the Spartans a 1-0 win over the Portland State women's soccer team Sunday at Hillsboro Stadium, snapping the Vikings' 11-match home unbeaten streak.
 
The Vikings (3-3-2) hadn't lost at home since their home opener against then-No. 14 Marquette last season, going 8-0-3 at home before their loss to the Spartans (3-3-2) Sunday.
 
"We played poorly today," PSU head coach Laura Schott said. "Specifically, we had a poor mentality in the final third. We have been working on this and I haven't had enough of an impact yet."
 
The Vikings' inability to produce a score cost them, as it made way for Estrada's late goal to put the Spartans up with little time on the clock.
 
Estrada scored following a Spartan free kick with less than five minutes remaining in regulation. Junior defender Rachel Docherty took the free kick for Spartans, sending the ball into the box, where San Jose State won a chain of headers that eventually led to the goal.
 
Estrada had the penultimate header, sending it to senior forward Kareli Rodriguez, who then sent it back to Estrada as she cut across the Portland State defense towards the back post. Rodriguez's header sailed over the Vikings' backline to Estrada, giving Estrada a one-on-one with PSU goalkeeper Caitlin Plese. Plese had saved a similar shot from Estrad in the first half of the match, but Estrada beat Plese this time, slotting the ball into the right post from 12 yards out.
 
The Spartans' goal off a free kick continues a series of trouble for the Vikings on set pieces this season. The Vikings also gave up a late goal in double overtime to then-No. 10 Texas Tech that cost them the match on Sept. 7, and gave up the opening goal of their 1-1 draw with Boise State on Aug. 24 off a direct free kick.
 
Estrada's goal would not have been the difference, however, if the Vikings had been able to convert on one of their scoring chances earlier in regulation.
 
The Vikings earned themselves a series of chances starting in the 29th minute of the first half, when junior midfielder Emma Cooney slipped a pass to junior forward Tamia Hasan up the left flank of the field. Cooney's pass gave Hasan the ball with only San Jose State goalkeeper Zoe Makrigiannis to beat, but Makrigiannis had come off her line at a good time and blocked Hasan's shot with her body. Freshman forward Mackenzie Bean followed Hasan's shot on goal with one of her own less than 30 seconds later, but Makrigiannis was in the right position again to tap Bean's shot over the crossbar for a corner.
 
Bean also had the Vikings' likely best chance at a goal in the second half, as she made a dangerous run into the box in the 49th minute. Bean had the defenders beat near the six-yard box, but tried to slip a pass to Hasan on the right post that the Spartan defenders were able to clear away.
 
Sophomore midfielder Bianca Munoz, meanwhile, created her own chance at a goal in the 59th minute, as she had dribbled her way up the right side of the field for a close shot on the San Jose State goal. Munoz maneuvered her way through several Spartan defenders to give herself the chance, but held the ball too long and wasn't able to tuck her shot into the right post from close range.
 
The Spartans had their own chances for an earlier goal in the match, too, especially in the 42nd minute, when Estrada had her first chance against Plese. Estrada, who had just subbed into the match then, won a loose ball in the box for the Spartans and fired a quick shot on the PSU goal. Plese reacted well to the shot, however, and dove to her left to punch the ball just enough to where it bounced off the right post and out for a corner.
 
The struggle for both teams to score Sunday should not have come as a surprise to any one, as both teams ranked near the top of their leagues in several defensive categories. The Spartans entered the match atop the Mountain West in goals-against average at 0.67, and earned their fourth shutout of the season with their win over the Vikings Sunday. The Viking defense, meanwhile, had posted shutouts in two of their past three matches, including an overtime win over in-state rival Oregon.
 
San Jose State's defense got the better of the Vikings Sunday, however, leaving the Vikings with a loss entering conference play next weekend.
 
"Going into conference, we need to be more consistent," Schott said. "We have a team who can compete with the best."
 
The Vikings will open Big Sky play on the road at Northern Arizona and Southern Utah on Friday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 28. The Vikings play at Northern Arizona at 7 p.m. local time on Friday, and will play Southern Utah at 12 p.m. (MT) on Sunday.
 
Match Notes: The Vikings fall to 0-4-0 in the all-time series against San Jose State…The Vikings have been shut out in three of their four matches against the Spartans…The loss to the Spartans gives the Vikings a 1-1-1 record against Mountain West Conference schools this season, after beating Colorado State and tying Boise State earlier in the year…Freshman Rachel Michieli saw her first action of the season Sunday, playing 25 minutes in the second half and earning a shot.

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