Idaho did not start the season as expected.
In their season opener, the Vandals hosted the Boise State Broncos but were unable to come away with the win, losing 0-1 off a Broncos penalty kick.
“It was a good game. Really disappointed that a (penalty kick) decides the match,” Idaho Head Coach Jeremy Clevenger said. “I was really happy with how we battled. Our players came and really dominated the second half.”
Here are the takeaways from Friday’s game.
Physicality
Probably the most notable thing from the game was the level of physicality. Both teams set the tone and kept it throughout.
There was a fight for every loose ball, with plenty of jersey pulling and a few yellow cards coming out as a result.
From a rivalry game like this though, you should expect nothing less. Two solid teams, bouncing back from having great seasons cut short in their conference tournaments.
Jeremy Clevenger Idaho Athletics
The Idaho defense, which is rebuilding around senior defender Kayleigh Frederick with a healthy mix of older veterans and younger talent, stepped up and had a solid outing. The Vandals limited the top goal scorer in the country to just one goal, which came off a penalty kick midway through the first half.
Game plan
With Clevenger now officially entering his second season with the program, we are starting to see his style of play spread throughout the team, becoming more refined, but still being a work in progress.
The defense had a tough start but bounced back, the midfield played solidly, fighting for every loose ball and the offense had good runs toward the goal but had a tough time getting shots off.
This is the start of a new year and the Vandals are still in the non-conference schedule, so there is nothing to worry about now. This is a learning time not only for the players, but for the coach as well to see what he has.
“The only thing I can be disappointed with is that we didn’t get a goal, but we battled, and we grew in this game,” Clevenger said. “I am really proud of our effort tonight.”
Details
Like with all sports, the little things are what always matter most.
There was one instance in the second half that stood out: when the ball was cleared by Boise State to midfield, but no Idaho players communicated, leaving the ball to be taken by the Broncos forward.
The Vandal defense quickly regathered and was able to apply pressure to alter the shot, but a simple lack of communication can lead to open goals.
Avrie Fox Idaho Athletics
The attacking third will also need some work. Despite having some speed, they had a tough time getting the ball into the middle of the field and getting good looks on goal. This will come with time and practice. With senior forward Myah Merino being the top goal scorer in the conference last year, there is no worry that she can’t get back on track.
One of the most impressive parts of the game was the command of redshirt freshman goalkeeper Avrie Fox.
She was a vocal voice for the backline, calling out adjustments and helping keep the defense in line in her first career start.
“I was happy with the defense tonight – I thought we did a good job containing (Boise State),” Avrie Fox said. “I’m glad that everyone was listening and followed what I was saying. We stopped a lot of opportunities that could have been really bad.”
Although Idaho picked up a loss, there are still a lot of good things to take away— knowing what to work on and seeing what will help this team find success.
The Vandals will head on the road for Sunday’s game to finish their first weekend of non-conference play.
Idaho will play CSU Bakersfield 6 P.M. Sunday in Bakersfield, Cal.
Zack Kellogg can be reached at arg-sports@uidaho.edu or on Twitter @kellogg_zack.