MOSCOW ? The University of Idaho (0-2-0) women's soccer team gave up three quick goals and couldn't get on track in the first half as the team fell in its home opener by a score of 3-1 to Gonzaga (2-1-0) Friday at Guy Wicks Field.

For the second-straight weekend, the Vandals got down early, this time allowing a goal just 44 seconds in. Gonzaga followed it up with a goal at the 20-minute mark and the 33-minute mark to put Idaho in a deep 3-0 hole at the half.

“You can't give teams a one, two, three goal start and expect to win games,” Idaho head coach Pete Showler said. “We're giving ourselves a mountain to climb when we start that way. We just have to be better than that.”

The Vandals made a significant improvement on the offense over last weekend's first-half performance against CSU Bakersfield when they only managed a single shot in the first 45 minutes, but none of Idaho's eight first-half shots found the back of the net.

Senior Nicole McAllister got things started off in the second half with aggressive play to get Idaho on the board. Nine minutes into the second half, McAllister juked her defender, settled and launched a beautiful shot that bent into the net at the right post for her first goal of the season and the second of her career.

“What a fantastic goal,” Showler said. “She bent it and it curled right around the keeper a la (David) Beckham. I was standing right behind her and it was just fantastic to watch.”

Unfortunately, two scores was a close as the Vandals would get. McAllister, sophomore Jennifer Eugenio and junior Ashley Perez all saw great scoring opportunities in the second, but couldn't quite finish off the plays and the Bulldogs held on for the win.

Freshman keeper Liz Boyden tallied five saves and gave up three goals in her second career start. McAllister and sophomore Jenn Hull tied for the team lead with three shots apiece, while Eugenio had a pair.

For Idaho, it's back to the drawing board as the team prepares for the upcoming Governor's Cup tournament in Moscow next weekend, Sep. 5-7. The first item on the checklist for Showler? Getting off to a quicker start.

“We'll chat as a coaching staff and figure out what it is we need to change, be it personnel or the way we get prepared,” Showler said. “Perhaps we need to play for 45 minutes before we kick off.”