Back and forth is the best way to describe the Idaho soccer season, and this past weekend it was more of the same for the Vandals.
After falling on the road to Boise State and Eastern Washington, Idaho (3-4) took on two southern schools in Memphis, Tennessee, and it seemed like the Vandals were getting back to their winning ways. The Vandals took on Arkansas State Friday and junior midfielder Alyssa Lloyd got the goals started in the 17th minute with her first goal of the season. Olivia Baggerly’s second goal of the season came a few minutes later in the 25th minute after a pass from junior forward Kavita Battan.
Idaho won the match 2-0.
Lloyd became the eighth Vandal to score a goal this season, compared to only seven players scoring in all of the 2014 season. It was also Idaho’s second shutout of the season after the Vandals beat New Mexico State 3-0 on Aug. 28th.
The winning was short lived.
Idaho and Memphis had never met in soccer before they faced each other Sunday. The game ended in a double-overtime thriller in which Memphis came out on top 4-3.
The Tigers jumped out to an early lead. Memphis took a 1-0 lead in the second minute and then went up 2-0 in the eighth minute.
Freshman forward Kayla Watanabe scored in the 18th minute with help from Battan. It was Watanabe’s third goal of 2015.
Battan scored in the 24th minute, which tied the game at two. After a quick Memphis goal, Battan tied the match for a second time with a goal in the 54th minute. Watanabe returned the favor from the first goal and set up Battan’s goal with a pass.
The last Idaho player to score multiple goals in a game was Erica Hart, doing it in 2012 against New Mexico State.
Overtime wasn’t enough for the two teams to figure out a winner so the game went to double overtime. A Memphis goal from Elizabeth Woerner in the 102nd minute sealed the Tigers’ victory.
After a four-game, two-week road trip, the Vandals sit at 3-4 with two games remaining before Big Sky Conference play begins. The Vandals will host South Dakota Friday at 4 p.m. and then Seattle University Sunday at 4. After that, it’s all Big Sky games for the rest of the season.
Ben Evensen can be reached at [email protected]