After dropping the first two games of the season, Derek Pittman’s quest for his first win as the head coach of the Vandal soccer team continues.
“This was a great learning experience for our team — we are going to be better for it,” Pittman said.
The Vandals dropped their first two games of the season to Seattle U and TCU by final scores of 2-1 and 2-0, respectively. Sophomore forward Alyssa Pease was the lone Vandal to net a goal in the first two games.
Idaho opened the 2014 season with a heartbreaking loss in overtime on the road Friday night to former WAC rival Seattle U. Redhawks forward Stephanie Verdoia was able to break the tie in overtime dropping the Vandals for the fourth consecutive time, dating back to 2013.
However, the Vandals did not have much time to dwell on the heartbreaking loss as they had to begin preparing for their home opener against the TCU Horned Frogs on Sunday.
“We put in another great effort, and we are going to be better because of this at the end of the season for having played such great competition in Seattle U and TCU,” Pittman said.
Pittman credited his team’s effort and tenacity on the defensive end as the reason that the Horned Frogs were limited to only four shots on goal, which is surprising considering they spent the majority of the first half, and a decent amount of the second half on the Vandal side of the pitch.
“Although they (TCU) had 19 shots total, we forced them to take a lot of bad shots. I thought our kids played really well,” Pittman said. “We did a really good job at forcing them into the areas that we wanted. Defense is all about mentality, and I thought we performed well in that aspect.”
TCU’s Lauren Sajewich and Mackenzie Koch were able to navigate the ferocious Vandals press on defense and get shots past Idaho goal keeper Torell Stewart for scores.
However, for as good as the Vandals played on the defensive side of the ball, they struggled on the attack at home against TCU, Pittman said. Kaysha Darcy, Reagan Quigley and Josilyn Daggs all had opportunities at shots on goal but couldn’t convert any of them into goals.
The Vandals and Horned Frogs battled back and forth all afternoon and the game started getting physical, especially in the second half. After an Amanda Pease yellow card, TCU assistant coach Kelsey Davis did not take kindly to the physicality that the Vandals were displaying and was subsequently handed a red card and ejected from the game.
“We are not afraid to be physical and attack the other team, if they took offense to it, it was nothing personal, it was just business,” Pittman said. “We don’t coach them to be dirty but we do coach them to play hard.”
The physicality preceded the half as well. Idaho’s Kat Comesana took the worst of a midair collision late in the first half and did not return to the game. The senior De Anza College transfer will be back as soon as the doctors say she is ready, Pittman said.
The Vandals will be back in action Friday as they open up Big Sky play at home against Eastern Washington.
“We will get back to work and prepare for Friday,” Pittman said. “We always talk about what’s next, which is Friday against Eastern Washington.”
Joshua Gamez can be reached at [email protected]