The Idaho Vandal soccer team (11-4-1 overall, 7-0-0 Big Sky Conference) extended its winning streak to seven games this weekend and clinched a postseason berth in the Big Sky Tournament Nov. 4-8.
The Vandals emerged with a 4-0 victory over Southern Utah Friday and a 4-1 win against Northern Arizona Sunday.
“Our goal was always to make the conference tournament,” Idaho coach Derek Pittman said. “All of our players are doing a great job and playing with a lot of confidence.”
In Friday’s matchup, Southern Utah (currently 7-7-1, 2-4-1) and Idaho traded shots early in the first half with neither team initially converting its opportunities.
The Vandals finally opened up their scoring spree in the 29th minute on a counterattack, following a Thunderbirds’ possession deep in Idaho territory. Idaho junior forward Kavita Battan converted a breakaway attempt, scoring the first goal of the game on a low kick that beat the Southern Utah goalkeeper.
Idaho continued its scoring attack in the 55th minute as sophomore forward Josilyn Daggs controlled a deflected throw-in, crossing it deep inside the Thunderbirds’ box. The cross by Daggs found junior midfielder Alyssa Lloyd, who headed it into the back of the net to raise the Vandals’ lead to two.
Southern Utah substituted six players in the 64th minute in an effort to create an opportunity on offense.
However, the move by Thunderbirds’ head coach Becky Hogan opened up some holes in the Southern Utah defense that the Vandals quickly exploited.
In the 68th minute, Idaho sophomore forward Olivia Baggerly received an outside pass from Daggs and chipped the ball over the Southern Utah goalkeeper for Idaho’s third goal of the afternoon.
The final goal for the Vandals came in the 87th minute when Battan was tackled inside the Thunderbirds’ box as she attempted to score. The Vandals were awarded a penalty kick and junior midfielder Elexis Schlossarek converted the attempt to seal the victory for Idaho.
“The key for us in the second half was to come out with a more organized defense,” Pittman said. “When we do that, we tend to frustrate teams and create opportunities on offense.”
The Vandals continued their weekend success with a road victory over Northern Arizona (currently 7-8-1, 2-4-1), dropping the Lumberjacks further out of contention for a conference playoff position.
The Vandals exploded for all four goals in the first half of Sunday’s match, kicking off their three-game road trip with a resounding victory.
Baggerly began the offensive explosion for the Vandals with a goal in the eighth minute, following through on a rebound to put the Vandals on the scoreboard.
Later, in the 22nd minute, junior midfielder Clara Gomez intercepted a Lumberjacks pass and found Battan, who juked several opponents with a spin move. Her shot found the back of the net.
Just five minutes later, Lloyd received a pass from freshman defender Kelly Dopke inside the box, tapping it in for the Vandals’ third goal of the afternoon.
Dopke later scored the final goal of the game for Idaho, notching her first career goal in the 36th minute off a corner kick by Gomez.
The Vandals conceded only one goal during the weekend when Northern Arizona forward Haley Wingender was able to bend one past the Idaho defense from a corner kick in the 86th minute of Sunday’s match.
“Everything starts with our defense and today was a carryover from the second half against Southern Utah,” Pittman said.
Idaho freshman goalkeeper Amanda Poertner delivered her seventh shutout of the season in Friday’s match against Southern Utah, setting a new single-season shutout record for Idaho.
Poertner credited her defense for the role it has played throughout the season.
“My job would be a lot harder without the ten players in front of me,” Poertner said. “Most of the time it’s just an easy save that I have to make because of all the work that they’ve put in. They deserve this record more than anything.”
Despite holding the new shutout record, Poertner said the success of her team was more important than any individual accolades.
“That’s not the record I’m focused on,” Poertner said. “We’re undefeated in the Big Sky Conference and that right now, that means more to me than anything.”
With the victories this weekend, Idaho remains atop the conference standings.
The Vandals hold a three-point lead over Northern Colorado as they head into the final stretch of the season.
Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom