CEDAR CITY, Utah - The SUU soccer team (2-6-1) closed out homecoming weekend in Cedar City with an overtime win against Portland State (2-8-0).

“We played great. The first half was probably the best soccer we've played for a long stretch. It truly was one of our best efforts,” head coach Becky Hogan said after the game.

The Thunderbirds came out firing and took the lead less than two minutes into the game when junior forward Payton Bonino put her second goal of the season into the back of the net off a cross from sophomore forward Devri Hartle.

Halfway through the 11th minute, senior Shelby Green would be fouled in the box, earning her a penalty kick and the chance to extend SUU's lead. Green's well-placed shot flew right past the outstretched arms of the diving Abbie Faingold to put SUU up 2-0 early.

The two-goal lead wouldn't last long as less than two minutes later Viking forward Rachel Michieli knocked one past Kaitlyn Caldera to cut the Thunderbird lead in half.

The first half would end 2-1 in favor of SUU with PSU only getting in three shots to the Thunderbird six.

When the second half opened, it was the Vikings who came out firing as midfielder Aurora Bodenhamer teamed up with forward Morgan Matthews in the 48th minute to tie the game up at 2-2.

The Thunderbirds outshot the Vikings once again in the second half, but neither team would be able to score again, sending the game into overtime.

The overtime period only lasted about three minutes before senior forward Logan Harker headed in her second game-winning goal of the season off a corner kick from junior defender Jessica French to give the Thunderbirds a 3-2 victory.

After the first weekend of conference play, SUU is now 1-1 in the Big Sky. Their next match will be at home Sunday October 2nd against in-state conference rival Weber State.