LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Devin Hart's goal with two minutes to play gave the New Mexico State Aggies a 2-1 victory over the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley to open Western Athletic Conference play Sunday at the NM State Soccer Athletic Complex.
 
While the Aggies (2-8, 1-0) held the lead for only the last two minutes, they attacked the Vaqueros (2-5-3, 0-1) relentlessly all afternoon.
 
"I thought we played really well," said NM State Head Coach Freddy Delgado. "I thought the game was indicative of some of the games we've had in the past. We've played very, very well the last couple of games and hadn't gotten the result. Today we got the result."
 
Hart took a deflected through pass, made a cut past a defender and rifled a shot from 15-yards out past UTRGV goalkeeper Erica Gonzalez for the go ahead score.
 
"Devin Hart had gone at that player time and time and time again. She wasn't getting the result," said Delgado. "It was maybe the eighth or ninth time and she got it. If she doesn't go at her that eighth time we don't get the goal."
 
The Aggies pounded the UTRGV goal with 19 shots overall, eight on goal, while the Vaqueros managed seven shots with three of those in the last 20 minutes. UTRGV posted four shots on goal.
 
"Our defense, including our goal keepers, did a good job," said Delgado. "We gave up one corner that's how they got the goal, but other than that we probably played 70-75 minutes in our attacking end and I was really happy with that."
 
Aggie freshman Rian Nials of Radium Springs, N.M./Las Cruces Mayfield entered the game in goal at halftime to face five of the Vaquero shots. She tallied three saves without allowing a goal in 45 minutes.
 
The Aggies fell behind in the 18th minute of play, when the Vaqueros got a goal from Sheridan Becanic header off an Elisa Espino corner kick. The 1-0 score held through the first half.
 
In the second half, the Aggies countered with their own corner kick goal. Freshman Audrey Chavez of Rio Rancho, N.M./Cleveland headed in the corner of sophomore Micaela Milavec of Las Cruces, N.M./High in the 53rd minute to even the match at 1-1.
 
The match appeared to be headed for overtime, when the Aggies got Hart's heroics in the 88th minute.
 
"We just kept pushing and it was a good team result," Delgado beamed.
 
The game is the first of a three-game WAC homestand for NM State. The Aggies are back in action on Friday afternoon when they host CSU Bakersfield at 3 p.m. in the Soccer Athletic Complex.