Under the bright lights of the P1FCU Kibbie Dome, with the Idaho Vandals clinging to a 1-0 lead over University of California, Riverside and under five minutes remaining, they got their chance to seal the victory. In the 86th minute, junior Tori Peters stood over a free kick just outside the box, whipped the ball into the penalty area and graduate midfielder Annika Farley rose above the defense to head it into the back of the net, landing a 2-0 opening night victory and getting the Vandals to 1-0-0.
Farley has been a three-year starter and a key piece of the Vandals’ success. She is looking to take herself and her team to new levels. Named as one of three team captains, Farley was extremely strong for the Vandals with her relentless effort and passing ability, putting Idaho in the right positions and making her an invaluable piece of the puzzle as they make another push toward a Big Sky championship.
Anticipation had been building since the Vandals’ heartbreaking loss to Sacramento State in the Big Sky Championship, when many Idaho players put on the Vandal uniform for the final time that day at South Field in Missoula, Montana. The new-era Vandals faced plenty of questions and uncertainty leading into their opener.
With nine freshmen and six transfers, the Vandals are out to prove that even though new faces don the Idaho uniform, they remain the same championship-caliber team — that pedigree hasn’t left, just transformed.
One of those new faces got the Vandals off to an early start in the game as Idaho came out strong out of the gates, with a sequence of simple beauty leading to the opening goal.
In the 16th minute, Peters won the ball back in the Vandals’ half and played it to senior forward Karli Yoshida-Williams on the wing. Yoshida-Williams played a give-and-go with Peters, who sent a perfectly weighted through ball into the path of junior transfer forward Georgia Whitehead.
Whitehead raced down the wing, outran the UC Riverside defense and found herself in a one-v-one with the keeper. She cut inside to her right foot and slotted the ball into the net for the opening goal and her first as a Vandal.
Whitehead has been a huge addition for the Vandals. As a Washington State transfer, she has been a Swiss army knife listed as a defender. The Coeur d’Alene native has played midfield and forward in her short time with Idaho, making her presence known with versatility and attack-minded playmaking that will be a key to the Vandals’ success this season.
The Vandals closed out the first half strong behind a stellar midfield display, especially from sophomore midfielder Hallie Primos-Grumbach, taking a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
Primos-Grumbach was everywhere in the first half, making crucial tackles while her composure on the ball fueled the Vandals’ success throughout the midfield.
The midfield play has been one of Idaho’s strengths in the last few years and that was still the case in this game. Other key contributors like junior midfielder Sara Rodgers, Peters and Farley were all sharp and dictated the Vandals’ play throughout the game. With their movement, passing and defensive shape, they made the game difficult for the Highlanders.
The Vandals did begin to show rust in the second half as they struggled to maintain their sharpness with new players and formations, while the Highlanders increased their pressure.
Redshirt sophomore Paula Flores, who wasn’t called upon in the first half, made several huge saves including one big one late in the game.
With the Highlanders pushing for the equalizer, they sent more bodies forward and sent in a cross from the left sideline. The ball was heading for the top corner when Flores used her instincts to tip it over the crossbar and preserve the Vandals’ shutout.
Despite their new faces and a few first-game struggles, the Vandals got the result and started their season on the right foot. Idaho next travels to Seattle to face the Washington Huskies on Sunday, Aug. 17, at 1 p.m.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected].