For the second time in three days, the Vandal soccer team faced tough opponents, losing games against the North Dakota State Bison and the Creighton Bluejays.
“When we do the things we need to, we do them well,” Idaho coach Pete Showler said. “When we get down in the game we have to keep our heads up and plow through it.”
The Vandals were able to put points on the board, a feat yet to be accomplished by the team before Friday. Despite their improved offense, the road woes continued for the Vandals as they were defeated by the Bison on Friday and the Bluejays on Sunday.
After losing to the Bison 3-2, their closest game to date, the Vandals traveled down to Omaha to play in Creighton’s $13 million Morrison Stadium.
The match against the Bluejays opened with the Vandals matching their opponents shot for shot as both teams were awarded with two shots on goal in the first 15 minutes. The momentum of the game changed in the 16th minute when Idaho’s Amanda Pease got a yellow card leading to Creighton’s Kelsey O’Donnell to score the first goal.
The rest of the first half proved to be no better for the Vandals as they allowed Creighton to advance its lead to 3-0 by halftime.
Idaho got on the board with its first goal of the game and third of the season at the 63rd minute mark with an unassisted shot from freshman Alyssa Pease.
Even though the Vandals were able to gain some momentum with the goal, it didn’t last. Creighton came right back, advancing the score to 5-1. The Vandals allowed one more goal before the match let out losing 6-1, the most goals the team has allowed so far this year.
This was only the second game the Vandals were able to score, in showing an improvement in the offensive aspect of their game. The team has struggled to mount an effective offensive attack after losing most of their starting line up last season.
“We need to be accountable and work as a team,” Showler said. “We cannot keep giving up three or four goals a game and expect to be in a position to win.”
A string of five away games comes to an end this week when the Vandals play their first home game against Eastern Washington at 4 p.m on Friday at Guy Wicks Field.
The Vandals are looking to earn their first win of the season at home, a site that they have not seen since the Aug. 16 exhibition game against Oklahoma . It was in that game the Vandals had their greatest success — a game that ended in a scoreless tie.
Curtis Ginnetti can be reached at [email protected]