After cruising past Northern Colorado on Friday, Idaho went into an emotion-filled senior day matchup with Northern Arizona on Sunday. Both teams were looking to get the #2 seed in the Big Sky tournament and a first-round bye.
The Vandals, with an 89th-minute header by senior Jayd Sprague, got the 1-0 win against Northern Arizona and avenged their Big Sky championship loss.
The Lumberjacks started strong with two shots on goal in the first two-minutes, forcing sophomore goalkeeper Kira Witte into two early saves. Fifteen minutes into the contest, the emotions and nerves started to dissipate from the Vandals. They started to build confidence and began to play the game at their own tempo.
The end of the first half was intense as both teams had their feet on the gas pedal. However, the game would stay tied 0-0 going into the locker room. Each team put up six shots. NAU put just two shots on frame while Idaho was able to put half of their six shots on frame.
After the break, the Vandals came out as the more aggressive team and looked to punch their ticket to the #2 seed. The game was played in NAU’s defensive half most of the second half, and the Vandals were inches from scoring the opening goal of the game on multiple occasions. During the final ten minutes of the game, both teams had their chances to put the game away. After senior Jadyn Hanks won a corner kick in the 89th minute the Vandals had one more opportunity to win.
Idaho called on the dynamic duo of Sprague and outside back Alyssa Peters. Peters, from the right corner flag, sent the ball to the back post where Sprague rose above everyone. She headed it over the keeper’s head and into the roof of the net. The score sent the Kibbie Dome into a frenzy as the Vandals took a late 1-0 lead.
With 90 seconds left in the game, the Lumberjacks had to give it everything they had. They won back-to-back corners but couldn’t get either shot into the net. Witte punched a last-ditch effort from the Lumberjacks over the bar, the rewarding final whistle sounded, and the Idaho bench, along with the fans in the stands, exploded.
With the win, Idaho finished the regular season 10-4-2, (5-2-1) in conference with the #2 overall seed in the Big Sky tournament.
“It’s something we wanted to earn and get that first round bye, which is very valuable. We are excited for that,” head coach Jeremy Clevenger said.
After a hard-fought game, 12 Vandal seniors and their families had a ceremony recognizing their time as a Vandal. However, some of the seniors will be returning for their extra year of eligibility next season.
Clevenger was proud of how his team battled, saying, “I think we’ve been playing really well. We’re continuing to escalate, (and) I thought we gave a 90-minute performance. We’re focused and playing our best soccer.”
With it being senior night, Clevenger spoke on the group of seniors and their impact on the team, saying, “They’re a special group, (and) I love them so much. They’ve definitely left a huge impact on the team and the program.”
For the players on senior night, it can feel overwhelming. For Sprague, it was bittersweet. “It’s sad to see that we’re all going,” she said.” “But I wouldn’t want to do it with any other team, and I’m extremely grateful for every one of them.”
When asked about scoring the game-winning goal on senior night Sprague smiled and said, “it’s honestly a blessing. I wouldn’t be able to do it without my teammates.”
The Vandals will have a week off before they travel to Flagstaff, Arizona, for the Big Sky tournament. They will face the winner of Portland State and Idaho State in the semifinals and hope to bring a Big Sky championship home to Moscow.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on X @JaydenBarfuss10