It was a busy day to begin the spring season for the Washington State women’s soccer team. They started against the Gonzaga Bulldogs and finished by taking down the Idaho Vandals.

Washington State played three 30-minute periods for each game. For the most part, the first period lineup consisted of a projected starting lineup for the fall season.

In their first matchup, the Cougars lost 2-1 against Gonzaga. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the game, and WSU was able to avoid a shut out with a goal in the final period.

“I liked what happened in the third 30 minutes,” Head Coach Steve Nugent said. “The fact that we came back and scored a goal, we hit the post three times, we were pressing to get that second goal, it just didn’t happen for us.”

Scoring came easier for WSU in the second game of the day as they defeated the Vandals 2-0. Within the first 10 minutes the Cougars were on the attack. Sophomore forward Cara Wegner scored off a sophomore defensive specialist Mariah Powers’ cross.

Powers was not finished there; later in the period she was on the receiving end of a cross and was able to head in a goal over the goal keeper.

“I thought we did a good job of putting the ball into dangerous situations inside the box against Gonzaga and Idaho,” Nugent said. “I don’t think we got on the end of it like we would like to have.”

The Cougar defense gave Idaho trouble all game, causing the Vandals to struggle to even get the ball on their attacking side.

The Gonzaga game Saturday served as the debut for new Head Coach Nugent and the Idaho game served as his first victory at WSU. Nugent said after his first win he received congratulations from his team and added that it feels good to be a Coug.

The Cougs are back on the pitch next week against Boise State and Utah State in Boise, Idaho.