SPOKANE, Wash. -- Both sides traded goals until Sonja Giraud notched the game winner in the 71st minute to give the USF women's soccer team the edge in a 3-2 victory at Gonzaga on Saturday afternoon. 

"The first half we scored early, and sometimes it's more of a curse to score too early," said head coach Jim Millinder after the match. "They had a kid up front, [Karley] Baggerly, who we struggled to deal with in the first half. But in the second half we played very well in all facets."

The scoring started early for both squads, but it was USF (9-3-3, 3-1-0) who struck first in the sixth minute when Samantha Jehnings scooped up a loose ball that had been kicked around and deflected in the box. Jehnings controlled it, spun and fired into the far corner from around 15 yards out near the top corner of the penalty box to give the Dons a 1-0 lead and tally her fifth goal of the year. 

The Dons just about scored another one in the eighth minute when Autumn Smithers threaded a beautiful pass to Alex Alugas making a run down the right side of the penalty box where Alugas had a step on her defender and a one-on-one with the keeper, but couldn't get a firm shot off as Gonzaga keeper Christie Tombari made the save. 

Gonzaga (2-8-5, 1-3-1) then proceeded to reel off back-to-back goals to take a 2-1 lead, the first of which coming in the 13th minute when Lexi Clark made a steal far from the net, but found a enough space to fire off a chance shot from 25 yards out that had just enough of a bend to sail over Schiffel's full-extension leap and into the far corner of the net to tie the contest at 1-1.

The Zags then pulled ahead in the 17th minute when Karley Baggerly added to her WCC-leading goal total with her seventh score of the year as she weaved through the USF defense starting on the lower left wing and found a sliver of space between Don defenders where Baggerly was able to tuck it past Schiffel's outstretched hands into the near post from about 10 yards out to make it 2-1 in favor of Gonzaga. 

However, the Dons kept the pressure on the Zags' defense, eventually leading to a penalty in the 34th minute inside the Gonzaga box where Amanda Whittle was tackled trying to dribble toward the net. Camille Wilson lined up to take the penalty kick and converted the equalizer by blasting her shot into the upper right corner for her second goal of the year.  

The first half, like the majority of the contest, was very evenly-matched with both sides enjoying their own share of the momentum. The Dons and Zags ended the first half with eight shots apiece. 

Second half adjustments allowed the Dons to come out of the break with more offensive intensity as they outshot the Zags 11-4 in the second frame, as well as shifts in their defensive look. 

"We dealt better with their offensive attack in the second half," added Millinder. "We had to get back to doing what we do best. Sometimes there's a tendency to get away from those things, but we did a very good job in the second half as an entire unit. We possessed the ball really well, and what a great goal by Sonja and Rochelle to finish it. We practice that and it's great to see it come through." 

The most important of the Dons' chances came in the 71st minute when Rochelle Weerackoon dribbled down the right wing toward the end line and skipped a pass to Giraud's feet. Giraud held off her defender on her left hip and used some nifty footwork to flip the pass backwards just enough to deflect it into the far post and register the game winner. 
 
Giraud's fifth goal ties her with Jehnings for the team lead. It was also Giraud's second game winner of the year. 

Overall, USF held a 19-12 advantage in shots on the day, including 11 shots on goal, and a 7-4 edge in corner kicks. 

Schiffel earned the win by picking up five saves in goal, while her counterpart Tombari tallied eight saves.  

The Dons will return to the pitch next Thursday, Oct. 22 when they welcome the first-place team in the WCC, the fifth-ranked BYU Cougars for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Negoesco Stadium. 

"That will be the biggest match for program since I've been here," said Millinder about facing the 11-1-1 (3-0-0) Cougars next week. "Today was one game and a great result, but this week we'll just get focused in on getting a positive result against BYU, but we have them at our place so we'll keep working hard and keep moving forward."