LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Southern Utah University soccer team braved the heat and the post-fight crowds Sunday afternoon as they traveled to Las Vegas to take on the UNLV Rebels in their fourth match of the 2017 season. The Thunderbirds fought the entire game, but were not able to hand the Rebels their first loss of the season, falling 3-1.

"I'm proud of the effort and the work we put in today. We had to rely on some different people today and I think they stepped up nicely," head coach Fred Thompson. "We're still trying to clean up some of our defending and we gave up a couple goals that I feel safe in saying that we won't give up later on, but they played really hard and fought all the way to the end."

The Rebels led almost the entire way scoring two goals in the first half in the ninth and 37th minutes. They took a 2-0 lead into halftime, which quickly turned into 3-0 when Sophie Cortes scored her second goal of the game in the 50th minute of play.

Brielle Bourgeois and Jahna Tacson teamed up in the 81st minute to give the Thunderbirds their third goal in as many games. Tacson passed it to a wide open Bourgeois who took a couple dribbles and launched a rocket from 25 yards out for the first goal of her career. Tacson was credited with her first assist of the season.

Freshman goalkeeper Rian Kasner made her collegiate debut in Sunday's match, playing the final 34:34 and making four saves while not allowing a goal.

"It wasn't something that was ever going to phase her being put into her first game. She just got in there and played like she has been in practice and was very solid," Thompson said. "I probably could have asked her to play center back and she would have said 'whatever you need coach' and jumped right in there."

The Thunderbirds set a new season high in shots (8), shots on goal (3), and saves (9). As a team, they are now averaging 6.25 shots per game.

The Thunderbirds will be faced with a quick turnaround this week as they head to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes, Thursday August 31st.

"Our main priority at this point is just to make sure we are healthy and fresh going into Thursday's game," Thompson said. "Even if we don't train physically we will find a way to keep getting better. We have a lot to learn from what we have done so far and I'm proud of the way we have been progressing."

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