STOCKTON, Calif. – The Pacific women's soccer program celebrated the first win of the Jeff Freeman era on Thursday night, securing a 1-0 victory over Utah State at Knoles Field.

Anchored with a penalty kick goal by fifth year Aniela Jensen in the 70th minute, the Tigers (1-2) picked up their first shutout victory of the 2025 campaign over the Aggies (1-1).

"Our team has worked so hard, and they deserved it," Freeman said. "They've put in the time and the effort and have bought into what we're trying to do. Tonight was a big step forward in terms of the way we want to play and who our identity is as a team."

Jensen scored her first goal of the 2025 season in the bottom left corner after redshirt junior Mira Scarsella drew a foul in the box late in the second half. The last time the Tigers converted on a penalty kick was when Jaida Nyby successfully did so on an attempt on Sept. 3, 2023, against New Mexico State.

Utah State would not go away quietly following the game's icebreaker. The Aggies rattled off a six-to-two margin in the shots attempted department in the second half, including a furious rush in the final stages of the contest in which the Tigers' defense stood tall.

Graduate student Juliana Alexander was a big reason for keeping the Aggies at bay in her third start of the season in goal. With five saves on the evening and two shots deflecting off the cross bar, Alexander picked up her first clean sheet of the 2025 campaign and her first shutout since a 1-0 win on October 7, 2023, at San Diego.

Along with Alexander, sophomore Gianna Gagliano played the full length of the match, marking the second straight contest Gagliano has been on the pitch for 90 minutes.

Pacific improves to 6-4-1 all-time against USU, including a 4-0-1 mark at Knoles Field.

The Tigers look to carry over the momentum from the first victory of the Jeff Freeman era into the road opener at Cal Poly on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Mustang Memorial Field at Spanos Stadium.

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