After going 262 minutes without a goal, the EWU soccer team scored three times in 15 minutes in a 3-2 Big Sky Conference victory against Portland State today.

“It’s about time,” EWU head coach Chad Bodnar said of the three goals.

The goals came at the perfect time as the Eagles  were playing without starting goalkeeper Kelsee Winston, who was out sick. Junior Hadley Bezon started in her place.

In the 11th minute, EWU turned the ball over near midfield. The Eagles were slow to react and allowed PSU defender Sofi Papastamos to pass the ball into the box to forward Krystal de Ramos, who then shot it past Bezon for the goal.

The goal was on the first shot Bezon had seen in the game.

It wouldn’t take long for the Eagles to answer back. The Eagles’ first goal was a senior effort. In the 38th minute, senior forward Allison Raniere sent a corner kick through the middle of the box, and connected with senior forward Jenny Chavez, who leapt above the surrounding players for a heading finish.

“Honestly, I feel my head is like a magnet for the ball,” Chavez said of her header. “I just try to hit anything that is out there.”

Chavez was playing in her first match since receiving a red card against Utah State on Sept. 14.

Less than a minute after coming out of the locker room for the second half, the Eagles got back on the board after an own-goal by PSU. EWU dribbled in front of the net, where PSU players played the ball and knocked it around. Next thing anyone knew, it had bounced into the net.

The Eagles would add a third goal when sophomore forward Taylor Matheny blasted a shot from well outside the box into the corner of the net. PSU goalkeeper Abbie Faingold had no chance to make the save.

The insurance goal was important for the Eagles, as PSU would get a second ball past Bezon in the 58th minute to wrap up scoring.

EWU finished ahead of PSU in shots (18-11) and shots on goal (9-5).

“It was a good win,” Chavez said. “That was our whole thing this week. Get that win and fight until the end, and I think that’s what we did.”

Bodnar agreed.

“I thought we did some good things, and fixed some things we talked about fixing,” Bodnar said. “In the end we had to fight through and grit through, and I thought our kids fought hard and battled and got back on track there.”

The Eagles are now 1-1-0 in BSC play, and 5-4-2 overall. Next, EWU heads to Montana (1-6-2) for a match on Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. kicking off a three-game road trip.