SPOKANE, Wash. — Considering the relentless attack it faced, the Gonzaga University women's soccer team produced one of its finer defensive efforts of the season. It was not, however, enough to knock off 24th-ranked BYU, which claimed a 1-0 win in a West Coast Conference tussle Thursday afternoon at Gonzaga Soccer Field.

"Our defense has been rock solid," said associate head coach Derek Pittman, who was filling in for head coach Amy Edwards while she served a one-game suspension. "From our forwards all the way to the defenders, the whole group defends well together. We just have to find a way to score goals — and they are going to come. We've just got to keep believing in ourselves and trusting in the things that we do."

After playing the last five games on the road, the Bulldogs, now 5-8-1 overall and 1-3-0 in the WCC, were playing their first home game in more than a month. Thursday's matchup with BYU (10-4-1, 4-1-0) also marked the Zags' second contest against a ranked foe in as many outings. The Bulldogs took No. 5 Portland to overtime last Saturday.

"The positive thing for our players right now is we just basically played against two of the top three teams in our conference," Pittman said, "and we went toe-to-toe with them."

For the game's first handful of minutes, Gonzaga was the aggressor. The Bulldogs even appeared to grab an early lead when Karley Baggerly's shot from 15 yards hit the crossbar and bounced down into the goal. But the ball, according to the officials, did not completely cross the line and BYU subsequently cleared the threat.

"It's one of the hardest calls for a linesman to make," Pittman said. "He is sprinting down the line trying to keep up with offsides as well as look at the line — it's always going to be a hard thing.

"With as much backspin as that shot had, you would like to think it was all the way over the line," Pittman added. "But an inch lower and it's hitting the net and there's no controversy."

Pittman admitted it took the Bulldogs a few minutes to regain their focus following the missed opportunity. That was just enough time for the Cougars to collect a goal of their own. In the 10th minute, Marissa Nimmer punched in a shot from 10 yards after a perfect cross from Niki Fernandes.

Not satisfied with a 1-0 advantage, the Cougars kept attacking, especially after halftime. They fired 19 shots, six of which GU keeper Christie Tombari saved. Gonzaga defenders also aided Tombari, blocking a number of BYU attempts. Gonzaga, by comparison, managed only seven shots.

"We would work so hard defensively," Pittman said, "and then we would turn around and give it away too quickly and they were right back on top of us."

Still, the Bulldogs did mount a few attacks in the second period. Their best scoring opportunity came in the 55th minute, when Kasey Rubosky streaked downfield for a pass and an apparent one-on-one opportunity with the BYU goalie. Before she could launch a shot, though, she was whistled for offsides.

"I would think BYU felt like we gave them all they could handle," Pittman said. "We had chances at the end to possibly score some goals and they just didn't bounce our way. But for our players to keep working this hard and to keep doing the things that we are good at … wins are right around the corner. We've just got to keep believing in ourselves."

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday when they host the University of San Diego Toreros. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.