The field was packed with familiar faces as Idaho’s soccer family reunited. The current Vandals stole the show and dominated the Alumni 5-0 with five different goal scorers. They provided a spark to carry the Vandal legacy that was paved by the very alumni they faced.
The Alumni team trotted onto the field with a mix of past Vandals, including multiple from the 2023 Big Sky Championship team, as they looked to face the current Vandal squad. The Vandals from the kickoff were on the front foot and, five minutes in, had a ball in the back of the net.
In the fifth minute, the Vandals’ offense went on the attack. After a great string of passes found the feet of forward Naomi Alvarez, she made no mistake and fired the ball past the goalkeeper to give the Vandals the early lead.
The Alumni could never grasp the game and six minutes later, they were picking another ball out of their net from a great team goal by the Vandals.
In the 11th minute, forward Calli Chiarelli picked up the ball on the left wing. She weaved through a defender and was in a one-on-one foot race with former center back Cassidy Elicker. Chiarelli won the footrace and beat her to the corner. Chiarelli then laid it off to Alvarez, who in turn played the ball to forward Karli Yoshida Williams, who tapped in the Vandals’ second goal of the game.
Midfielder Tori Peters gave the Vandals a dominant 3-0 lead in the 24th minute with a silky move and finish, putting the Alumni in a 3-0 hole. Toward the end of the half, the Alumni found their rhythm and an excellent cross from former forward Sienna Gonzales found the feet of former midfielder Hannah Alfaro.
Alfaro sprayed a pass out to Jadyn Hanks, who took a shot that was saved by goalkeeper Paula Flores and sent the teams into the locker room.
They and the head coach of the Alumni and former 2023 Big Sky Tournament MVP Rebekah Reyes had their work cut out for them in a 3-0 hole.
The Vandals came out with the same intensity behind goals from midfielders Annika Farley and Chiarelli. The Vandals walked away with a win and memories shared with the Alumni and former teammates as they look ahead to the fall.
This spring has been a transition period for the Vandals. With much of their starting lineup over the last three seasons gone, they had to find players ready to step up and fill the role both on the field and in leadership. A lot of players have emerged and shown signs of what this team could be next season.
As the spring started, all three lines were hit hard with departures, and all have stepped up and proven their skills.
With prolific midfielders Margo Schoesler and Alfaro departing, the Vandals had some opportunities for other midfielders to step up. Throughout the spring, they have been the strongest unit on the team.
A pillar to that success has been the leadership of Annika Farley, who has been a three-year starter for the Vandals and is expected to take on more of a leadership role in the midfield. She has shown her talent on the field and her ability to control the game and midfield is something that Head Coach Jeremy Clevenger noticed from her all offseason.
“She set the tone right away in spring. I was like, ‘Who’s going to step up and lead?’ And it’s been seamless and we’re fortunate for that,” Clevenger said.
Along with Farley, the additions of Georgia Whitehead and Deanna Montero have been huge in rebuilding the midfield. Peters has also shown a lot of promise this spring with her two goals. She provides the Vandals with a spark every time she is on the field.
The final midfield spot is the hottest competition, with Sara Rodgers and KV Miller both neck-and-neck. Both have shown that this is an incredibly loaded and deep midfield. The backline had the most questions heading into the spring. With all four starters departing, the Vandals needed to show what they were about on the defensive end.
Through transfers and other defenders from last season who will have bigger roles for the Vandals, the back line has not allowed a goal all spring. They look to be one of the best in the Big Sky again, something that Clevenger was hoping to see throughout the spring.
“It’s our biggest turnover area, with the whole backline turning over. It’s fun to see different players in different situations,” Clevenger said.
The forward line also lost a few good players in Jadyn Hanks, Gonzales and Maddy Lasher, but they brought back Naomi Alvarez and Karli Yoshida Williams. Along with adding Chiarelli to the mix, the forward line has been great for the Vandals all spring.
The Vandals went 3-0 in the spring and capped off with an amazing performance against the Alumni. All the questions about this team’s ability to compete for a championship next fall should be considered answered. From standout individual performances to collective team effort, the Vandals have proven they are ready for the challenge and are primed to lift the trophy in Missoula next season.