Playing a mere eight miles from their home field, the Idaho Vandals soccer team (0-3) took on Palouse rivals Washington State Friday in Pullman. There was certainly no love shown by either Washington State team or their rambunctious ZZU CRU student group, as the Cougars showed why they deserve to be one of the top ranked teams in west coast, winning 5-0.
The Cougars started the onslaught early, scoring in the eighth minute with a cross from the left side from Cougar standout Cara Wagner, who scored on keeper Torell Stewart, who started the game in lieu of regular Vandal starter Marina Siegl.
The Cougar attack did not let up during the first half. Cheered on by the overwhelming sea of crimson shirts and painted bodies, the ranked team scored four times during the first half, making the Vandals seem as if they were standing still. The older and bigger WSU team was able to out perform and out run the Vandals at every turn, able to find the holes in their defense and seamlessly move the ball down the pitch with ease.
“When you play a top-30 side like that, they are going to beat you to the ball,” coach Pete Showler said.
The Cougars totaled 14 shots, nine of which were on goal the first half of the game. Stewart was able to save five of those.
The momentum of the game changed slightly at halftime. A majority of the loudest WSU supporters filed out of the Lower Soccer Field on the Washington State campus. The Vandals took advantage of the momentum to stage an early attack on the Cougars, moving the ball much more effectively and setting up a shot on goal from freshman forward Alyssa Lloyd. The Vandals had another opportunity to score from sophomore midfielder J.P. Burgess off an impressive offensive move from defender Emily Ngan, but the shot went wide left.
Despite the improved team work and ball movement, the Vandals were not able to put together a successful drive and score on the opposing net. The defense, however, was able to keep the Cougars to only one goal during the second half and only two shots on frame.
“If we watch the second half on tape then watch the first, they will see the difference and know that we can compete,” Showler said.
Showler was pleased to see that during the match, despite the deficit facing the Vandals, the players never lost themselves and were able to pick themselves up off the bench.
Washington State improved its all-time record over Idaho to 9-1-0. At home, the Cougars have never lost to the Vandals and have outscored them 14-0.
The Vandals will host their first home game at 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at Guy Wicks Field against Eastern Washington.
WAC league play will start at 1 p.m. the following Sunday against Grand Canyon State.
Showler is optimistic that his young team will perform in the WAC and live up to its second place preseason prediction.
Curtis Ginnetti can be reached at [email protected]