When the Idaho soccer team headed to Fresno, for the WAC tournament it did so hoping to bring back its first conference championship in program history despite its fifth-place seed.
That hope lived on until the Vandals ran into No. 1 seed Utah State, falling 1-0 to the Aggies in the semi-finals. Idaho played the conference champions tight to a scoreless draw deep in the second half until the Aggies hit Idaho on a counter attack scoring opportunity, taking the wind out of Idaho’s sails and ending the Vandals’ tournament run.
The Vandals earned their way into the semi-finals by defeating San Jose State Thursday — the first conference tournament victory in program history. The Vandals qualified for the tournament for only the second time in program history.
Last season, the Vandals lost their first and only match in the tournament.
“Last year we were really excited, but really nervous and didn’t know what to think coming out for it. We didn’t really understand how important each game was,” junior forward Chelsea Small said. “It wasn’t a fun trip home last year.”
This season, the goal was to make a return trip to the tournament with the mindset that anything could happen.
“There’s a lot of parity in women’s soccer. I think that’s become more and more evident in every conference,” coach Pete Showler said. “Ours is no different. On any day any team can win those games.”
The Utah State team that sent Idaho home won 13 games in the regular season, had beaten Idaho 3-0 earlier in the year, and finished first in the WAC regular season standings. Despite the team’s superior standing on paper, Showler said he believes his team played well enough to win.
“We controlled the play most of the game. Our girls completely out-played them. That’s what makes it more disappointing and harder to take,” he said. “I told them it’s tough to lose at this stage of the tournament, but hold their heads up high because I’m very proud of them.”
Showler’s optimistic view springs from Idaho’s landmark victory against San Jose State.
The Spartans put the Vandals in an early deficit with a goal 20 minutes into the match, until junior Amber Pimley responded with an equalizer just 20 seconds later. She also put home the winning goal in the second half to secure the first semi-finals appearance for Idaho, and bring it closer to the NCAA tournament than the team had ever been before.
The Vandals have struggled this season when trailing early, but the conference tournament sprung a new mindset.
“After that goal, we felt like because it was the tournament we needed to give it all,” Pimley said. “It was really crucial to get back in the game. It was important to get the momentum back.”
The Vandals go into next season looking to build on the success that a second straight year of qualification along with a semi-finals appearance in the conference tournament will bring. Every player that logged minutes for the Vandals in the competition will return to the team next season.
“It wasn’t meant to be this year,” Showler said. “We’re going to be more competitive, more depth and more strength next season.”