Las Cruces, N.M. – The New Mexico State Aggies women’s soccer team returned to home turf on Sunday night for the fourth annual “Purple Out” match, a tribute to former player Thalia Chaverria. An announced crowd of 807 gathered at the stadium to support the Crimson & White, but the Aggies were unable to break through Long Beach State’s defense, falling 2-0.
Game summary
Freshman forward Zoey Gist, a Tucson, Ariz., native, earned her second start of the season and logged a season‑high 78 minutes. Gist led the Aggies in shots, registering three attempts, all on target. Her first effort challenged Long Beach State keeper Aurora Schuck with a low, hard drive down the middle, but the ball was saved.
Long Beach State opened the scoring later in the first half, delivering the lone goal before the break. At halftime the Aggies trailed in shots (9‑1) and corner kicks (2‑1) while holding a slight edge in saves (2‑1). Gist continued to press, sending a second ball into the bottom‑left corner, but the Beach goalkeeper kept it out.
The Aggies generated additional chances, including a corner‑kick pair and a strike from Filucca Daugaard, yet they could not find the back of the net. In the 74th minute Long Beach State added a second goal, sealing a 2‑0 victory.
Team notes
The loss marked the Aggies’ first defeat in a “Purple Out” contest, bringing their record in the series to 1‑0‑2. Freshman defender Daniela Portillo made her 2026 debut, playing 24 minutes. Senior defender Kennedy Herrera logged a full 90 minutes for the third straight game, while teammates Gabi Hislop and Marlee Cavitt also completed the full match for the second consecutive outing.
Coach’s perspective
Head Coach Rob Baarts reflected on the performance, saying, “At the end of the day, we just have to start responding to what we’re training. We work on things that look good in training, and then we get into games and it’s just not happening. We got to learn how to step up and be brave and make it happen and stop worrying about what could happen. We got to just go do the job. End of story.”
Looking ahead
The Aggies will begin a three‑game road stretch next week, opening on Thursday, Aug. 27, against Southern California in Los Angeles. The first kick‑off is set for 7:00 p.m. MT and will be streamed live on Big Ten+. Detailed statistics will be available at nmstatesports.com/stats.
Despite the setback, the team remains focused on improving execution and translating practice work into game results as the season progresses.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
