As the Idaho Vandals women’s soccer team walked off the field last fall after losing to the Montana Grizzlies in the Big Sky semifinals on penalty kicks, the 6-5-9 record told only part of the story. The goal of a championship had slipped away, but this spring the Vandals set out to change the narrative, reestablish their standard and rebuild the excitement in Moscow.
The spring season delivered exactly what they were hoping for. Idaho finished 4-0-1, with wins over Spokane Community College (11-0), the University of Seattle (2-1), Gonzaga University (4-1) and Central Washington University (2-0), before drawing border rivals Washington State 1-1 in the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. In five games, the Vandals scored 20 goals and conceded just three.
Beyond the results, Idaho featured a revamped roster with players stepping into new roles and staking their claims ahead of the fall.
“Great spring for us, really, really positive,” head coach Jeremy Clevenger said. “I thought we got better every day and played some really good teams. It was a great opportunity for a lot of players to step up in different roles, in different situations and against different styles. Not one team was the same, and I thought we did really well. Overall, I’m super happy.”
Attacking Brilliance
The Vandals lost forwards Naomi Alvarez and Karli Yoshida-Williams in the offseason, leaving questions in a forward room that had already struggled with consistency last season. But the players who remain have answered loudly.
Redshirt sophomore Calli Chiarelli and junior Georgia Whitehead lead the line. Their speed and explosiveness are immediately apparent on film, and their movement near goal is dynamic. What stands out on closer inspection is their soccer IQ and chemistry. The duo combined for six goals and four assists last fall, and that connection has only grown stronger this spring.
“We worked very hard and showed up every day, determined to get better as a team,” Chiarelli said. “This spring, a lot of people really stepped up and filled roles we lost when some seniors left. We bonded really well, and the work paid off.”
Alongside them, freshman Makenna Stuart, redshirt junior Payton Oelkers, and junior Karina da Silva have all flashed their ability while proving they can be impactful depth pieces come fall. Stuart has been particularly impressive. Her hold-up play, ability to connect with teammates, and pace on and off the ball have her poised for a strong sophomore season.
As a unit, the forward line has focused on finishing chances and staying composed in the final third.
“We have that hunger for the net,” Chiarelli said. “Everyone’s doing their part. We’ve been a lot better at crashing the box and putting the ball in the back of the net.”
The Midfield Engine
Under Clevenger, the midfield has long been the pulse of the Vandals, and this year looks no different. After losing team captain Annika Farley, the group’s other leaders have stepped up.
Junior Sara Rodgers anchors the line. She led the team with seven goals last season and is a steady presence who connects the backline to the attack, controls tempo, and is a constant threat on set pieces. Coming off a career year, Rodgers has grown into a leadership role on and off the field that will be central to Idaho’s success.
Alongside her, sophomore Hallie Prinos-Grumbach and junior Tori Peters bring creativity and experience and have been responsible for much of the Vandals’ success over the past two seasons. Freshman Alyssa Hamilton has also emerged as a dynamic fourth option. Her willingness to take defenders on and her high work rate make her a player to watch.
Adding depth is senior Deanna Montero, who tore her ACL in the first game of last season. Her creativity and experience will be a welcome addition when she returns.
The Defensive Backbone
The backline is the foundation of the Vandals, and it returns a lot of its pieces from a year ago. Junior center back Izzy Thoma has quickly become one of the best defenders in the Big Sky. Her athleticism, instincts and ability to read the game have brought stability to a unit that has shifted between a back three and a back four over the past two seasons.
Her primary center back partner this spring has been sophomore Baise Shannon. Shannon hasn’t logged much time in a Vandal uniform before this spring, but she has proven capable in the role, bringing aerial presence, calmness on the ball, and the ability to serve as a reliable outlet under pressure.
Shannon may face competition from freshman Caitlyn Riggs, who had a standout spring after learning from a redshirt season. Riggs is a steady defender with a significant aerial threat, scoring four goals in five spring games.
At wing back, sophomore Bella Gissendanner and freshman Miranda Goldner are expected to hold their spots. Gissendanner is strong in both phases of the game, but her set-piece delivery is what separates her. Her accuracy and placement make her a key part of the Vandals’ attacking scheme.
Goldner may be the most dynamic player in the group. Her speed, IQ, and attacking instincts give Idaho an outlet to stretch the field and create in the final third. Her ability to defend one-on-one and instantly flip the transition makes her a threat at every level of the field.
“Our backline is pretty competitive,” Clevenger said. “Izzy, Bella and Miranda have done well, but Caitlyn Riggs has stepped up, and Baise too. I think we’re looking at some real battles, probably the tightest competition we have right now.”
Goalkeeping Stability
Amid all the change, redshirt sophomore Paula Flores has been a constant between the posts. She looks to continue developing her game and will be a critical piece if the Vandals are going to bring home a Big Sky championship.
Flores has been in net the past two seasons and has appeared in 40 games for Idaho keeping 17 clean sheets. Her instincts, communication skills, and leadership from the back keeping the team organized have turned her into one of the best goalkeepers in the Big Sky.
Fall Promise
The Vandals enter the fall with momentum, a sharpened identity and a clear mission: turn last season’s nine draws into wins. The aggressive high press and goal-scoring hunger they showed this spring need to carry over.
“We just want to score goals, we’ve been scoring goals all spring and we want to continue that into the fall,” Peters said. “We had a lot of ties, a lot of games with no goals. We want goals through the run of play, through our feet. That’s what we’re going to transfer into the fall.”
Idaho came into a new era last season with most of their core over the past three years had departed, which left a very young team.
That young team was battle tested every game and showed a lot of what they had to offer. The results weren’t what they had hoped but the standard is the same and the hunger to reach their highest level is bigger than ever.