All hope seemed lost for the Idaho Vandals women’s soccer team, trailing behind by one with eight seconds remaining as Montana fans and players began to celebrate. However, junior midfielder Sara Rodgers had other plans.
With everyone pushed forward for the Vandals, redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Paula Flores stood over the free kick and sent the ball toward the 18-yard box. Junior center back Izzy Thoma continued her fantastic tournament with a flick in the area to Rodgers, and she made no mistake.
Rodgers scooped the ball off the ground and fired a gorgeous shot over Montana goalkeeper redshirt junior Ashlyn Dvorak into the bottom corner to secure her second goal and Thoma’s second assist of the game to tie it at 2-2, sending the match into extra time.
The Vandals and Grizzlies played an extra 20 scoreless minutes before going to a penalty shootout, where the Griz prevailed 2-2 (3-1 PKs) to eliminate Idaho and advance to the Big Sky Championship.
The Vandals came in off a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Portland State, thanks to a 77th-minute game-winner by redshirt junior forward Naomi Alvarez. They now faced a well-rested and hungry Montana team that, despite battling several injuries, was determined to finally lift a championship. One game separated these teams from glory and heartbreak.
Idaho came out ready from the opening whistle, prepared to go toe-to-toe with the no. 1 seed and host Montana Grizzlies. With their passing and tempo controlling the game, the Vandals found themselves in a familiar situation: a set piece in the opponent’s final third.
Thoma, the heart of the Vandals defense, stood over the ball and played a looping pass over the Griz backline. The ball found the head of Rodgers, who connected and powered it past Dvorak to open the scoring and silence the massive Montana crowd.
Idaho kept on the front foot, playing their style of soccer with crisp passing combinations and movement that forced Montana out of their shape. The Grizzlies fought tooth and nail, waiting for an opportunity, and they found one.
In the 24th minute, Montana used beautiful teamwork and passing to equalize. The Griz sent in a ball that senior forward Eliza Bentler chested into the path of sophomore midfielder Lydia Robertson, who played a gorgeous through ball to redshirt freshman midfielder Caylee Kerr. Kerr sent a low driven cross that found Bentler, who rifled it into the net to tie the game.
Despite the equalizer, Idaho still controlled the tempo and pestered the Griz backline but couldn’t break through. The teams went into halftime tied at one.
The Griz had been outplayed and needed to respond, and they did with another gorgeous team goal to pull ahead.
In the 53rd minute on the counterattack, Montana found the feet of Robertson, who drove at the Vandals defense. The ball was cleared to Bentler, who sent a through ball to the other side of the box to streaking sophomore forward Reagan Brisendine. She took the ball and powered it past Flores to give Montana the lead.
The Vandals pushed for the equalizer, and when everyone in the stadium thought the game was over, Idaho’s trademark resilience, never giving up and fighting until the end, broke in their favor with Rodgers’ dramatic late goal.
After the shock of the late equalizer, the Vandals came alive in the first overtime period and forced Dvorak into several saves. But the brick wall wouldn’t budge, leading to penalty kicks.
Both teams missed their first attempts. Montana then converted their next three, and after a Vandal miss, the referee blew the whistle. The Grizzlies celebrated while the Vandals were left heartbroken, their season ending at 6-5-9, one game short of their ultimate goal.
The Vandals had lost their championship core from previous seasons, but with the existing players and many newcomers, they pieced together a team that never quit. A team that fought every game, every minute and every second they were on the field together.
A group that, with eight seconds left and hope fading, still believed. A team that couldn’t be separated or discouraged, who fought until the referee’s final whistle. Even though they were counted out and doubted, they gave it their all and showed their Vandal pride. And though they fell one game short, they proved that their spirit burns brightest when the odds are longest.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected].