San Francisco, CA -- In their first regular season action of the year, the Academy of Art University women's soccer team fell to visiting Humboldt State 3-1. The Urban Knights equalized early in the second half, but two late goals against them proved to be the difference. ART U came out encouraged that the game featured a couple close shots that may have changed the outcome of the contest.

"I'm proud of the team's work rate and ability to create opportunities today," said head coach Aileen Nasypany. "There are always special moments that define a game. Had we been able to capitalize on the shots that instead rocked the goal posts, I believe the momentum would have definitely shifted in our direction."

For the Knights, a couple of those opportunities presented themselves right in the beginning of the game, as the first corner kick of the year by senior Beth Barker resulted in three chances at goal by Barker, Marley Sutter, and Réa Laudat, but a pair of good saves by the Jacks goalkeeper and then a shot that went just wide left ART U empty-handed. The Jacks struck first, as in the fourteenth minute, Elle Reid fought through strong play by the Urban Knights defense and muscled a shot to the far post to put Humboldt up 1-0.

That was the score heading into the half, but the Urban Knights came out strong in the second period, notching their first goal of the season almost exactly ten minutes into half. Barker, last year's leading scorer, had one shot nick off the crossbar, but thirty seconds later took a feed from Marley Sutter and put it in the back of the net to even up the score at 1-1.

Sutter just missed a return feed from Barker a few minutes later, and later Barker and Hannah Emmett had two chances that were both off the mark. Humboldt retook the lead off a set piece in the 66th minute, when Colette Behen sent it in to Ariel Diehl for a shot that slipped by goalkeeper Rachael Rempe to make it 2-1. That would be the deciding goal, although the Lumberjacks added one more in the closing minutes on a shot by Savannah Havranek. Throughout the second half the Urban Knights continued to attack, but they were limited to just the one goal.

"We are keeping our heads up and have our eyes set on improving our performance in Saturdays home match at Kezar Stadium," said Nasypany.

Academy of Art will turn it around for their first evening game under the lights of Kezar Stadium, as they will host Simon Fraser University, traveling from Burnaby, British Columbia. The Knights made the trip up to Canada last season, winning a close match on a second-half goal from Barker.