GOODWELL, Okla. — A shorthanded Oklahoma Panhandle State women's soccer team (4-4, 1-2 SAC) made a statement at windy Anchor D Stadium on Saturday afternoon as it defeated Nelson (7-2-2, 2-1) by a decisive 4-1 margin.
 
Fueled by four first-half goals, the Aggies' victory kept them perfect at home in 2025, and it tamed the Lions who had entered the match atop the SAC standings.
 
OPSU came out as the aggressors, scoring first on a 30-yard strike from Emma Contreras that went through the goalkeeper's mitts in the 11th minute.
 
Emma Daskalov was next in line to score for the Aggies with her team-leading fourth goal in the 19th minute, which ended up being the game winner. The junior attacker dribbled the ball in transition past the Nelson goalie, kept her footing near the endline and readjusted before shooting for the score.
 
Panhandle State poured it on in the 28th minute when Toriana Holt rebounded a cross that was deflected by the goalkeeper right into the forward's feet. Holt quickly fired a shot into the wide-open net to give the Aggies a 3-0 lead.
 
Moments later, Emily Chavez saved the best for last with OPSU's goals on a stunning 40-yard free kick. The long-range boot cleared the leaping goalie's hands by inches and stayed underneath the cross boar for a clean, highlight-reel goal.
 
The 4-0 cushion lasted through halftime, and a lone second-half goal from the Lions proved harmless enough in the end.
 
AlaraLynn Gunderson (4-2) earned the win in goal, as she made five saves on the afternoon.
 
Offensively, Contreras' goal was her first of the year, while Chavez and Holt found the back of the net for the second time this season. A balanced attack saw seven Aggies record a shot on goal, with OPSU holding the final advantage in that department over Nelson, 8-6.
 
Coach Ken McAlpine's Thoughts: "Today was a lot of a mental battle. The conditions were hard on everybody. … It would have been really easy for this team to have those circumstances, and to, you know, blame that for a bad performance. We had every reason to roll over today against a very good Nelson team. … I was really happy with how the girls came out. We had the right mentality when things were getting hard. We had to be the one that was winning the mental battle, and I think that's the big takeaway from this game."
 
What's up next: OPSU looks to build on its performance when it hosts Central Christian (3-6-2, 1-2 SAC) on Tuesday at 3 p.m.