The Idaho soccer team continued its success on the pitch Sunday afternoon, defeating Montana 3-1 and improving its win streak to five games.
The Vandals (9-4-1 overall, 5-0-0 Big Sky Conference) also claimed sole possession of first place in the Big Sky Conference standings last Friday, following Eastern Washington’s loss to Montana.
Idaho will look to extend its lead in the conference with two upcoming matches against Southern Utah at 3 p.m. Friday at Guy Wicks Field and Northern Arizona at 1 p.m. Sunday in Flagstaff, Arizona.
The Vandals end a four-game homestand on Friday with a match against a Southern Utah team that has had difficulty producing victories in recent games.
However, the Thunderbirds (6-6-1, 1-3-1) surprised Big Sky soccer fans by handing Northern Colorado its only conference loss this season, proving Southern Utah is an opponent the Vandals should not take lightly.
“The Big Sky is a very even conference from top to bottom,” Idaho coach Derek Pittman said. “We know we have a tough opponent in Southern Utah to get ready for, and they are going to be coming in looking to steal some points on the road.”
Following Friday’s game, the Vandals travel to Flagstaff, Arizona, to kick off a three-game road trip. The Lumberjacks (7-6-1, 2-2-1) will be making a push in the Big Sky to try and snag a qualifying position for the upcoming conference tournament in November.
“It’s not going to be easy going into Northern Arizona,” Pittman said. “But we will be ready for it and stay focused in order to get a result on the road Sunday.”
Pittman said the Vandals’ defensive presence has been strong in recent games. He said it has helped propel the program forward during its current winning streak.
“We’ve been very good on the defensive side of the ball,” Pittman said. “It’s been a big focus of ours to limit opportunities against our goal, and I think our whole team has bought into that.”
The Vandals have also been aided by the play of freshman goalkeeper Amanda Poertner, who has already recorded six shutouts this season, tying Idaho’s all-time single season record.
If Idaho continues its conference success and ends the season atop the Big Sky standings, then the Vandals will host the Big Sky Tournament on their home turf.
But Pittman said the program should remain focused on the upcoming schedule and take things one game at a time.
“We know the possibility of hosting is out there,” Pittman said. “But there’s still half of the conference season to be played. Our goal from the very get-go was to make the conference tournament. Right now, we just want to make sure that we keep handling our business in the remaining games.”
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom