Falcons' Season Comes to a Close in Overtime at the MW Conference Championships

BOISE, Idaho – No. 2 seeded Air Force women's soccer (8-7-4, 6-2-2) closed a historic season after falling to No. 3 Utah State (10-6-5, 5-2-3) in overtime, 1-0, in the Mountain West Conference Championship semifinals on Wednesday at Boas Soccer Complex.

The Falcons recorded six total shots from Chase Borntreger, Raine Komata, Lauren Steinlage, Eleanor Musgrove, and Ellie McCarron. In goal, Sydney Nelms managed five saves in her second career start.

The first half was a battle of possession, with both sides fighting to find their rhythm. The Falcons showed flashes of promise setting up plays, but their chances went untapped. Air Force's lone attempt of the half came from Chase Borntreger, while Utah State managed a single shot on goal, sending both teams into halftime deadlocked at 0-0.

After the break, Musgrove nearly broke through with a shot off a corner that carried just over the crossbar. The Aggies held much of the control in the second half and appeared to score the go-ahead goal in the 73rd minute, but after a challenge and review, the call was overturned, giving the Falcons another chance. Nelms held USU at bay with four saves to send the semifinal match into overtime.

In overtime, the match's intensity reached its peak, but heartbreak struck in the 97th minute, as Utah State's Rachel Reitz delivered the golden goal that ended Air Force's season.

Despite the final score, the Falcons fought to the last whistle, closing the year with grit, unity, and pride.

AF women's soccer completed their best season in recent history, with their first tournament appearance since 2017 with the highest seed for the program, the first MW Coach of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and their best conference regular season finish since 1995.

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