The University of Idaho women’s soccer team continued its strong Big Sky Conference campaign on Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, earning an impressive 2-1 road victory over the University of Montana at South Campus Stadium in Missoula, Montana. Behind goals from Tori Peters and Miranda Goldner, the Vandals secured their second consecutive victory and completed a successful two-game road trip.
The win was an important result for Idaho as the team continued building momentum late in the regular season. Facing a Montana squad playing on its home field, the Vandals delivered an effective offensive performance and demonstrated the defensive composure needed to protect a lead in a competitive conference matchup.
Idaho wasted little time establishing itself offensively. At the 11:44 mark of the first half, senior Tori Peters found the back of the net to give the Vandals a 1-0 advantage.
Peters created the breakthrough with a shot from near the top of the penalty area, placing the ball inside the right post and putting Idaho in control early. Payton Oelkers received credit for the assist, helping create the scoring opportunity.
The early goal gave the Vandals confidence and allowed them to settle into the match. Montana continued looking for opportunities to respond, but Idaho maintained its narrow advantage through the remainder of the first half.
Both teams generated attacking opportunities, with Montana recording eight shots compared with Idaho’s six during the opening 45 minutes. However, the Vandals entered halftime holding a valuable 1-0 lead.
Idaho came out of halftime determined to extend its advantage, and the Vandals accomplished that goal just over 11 minutes into the second period.
At 56:34, Miranda Goldner scored her first goal of the season to put Idaho ahead 2-0. The scoring play began with Calli Chiarelli, who delivered a cross from the left side of the field. Goldner finished the opportunity, giving the Vandals a two-goal cushion and putting additional pressure on the Montana defense.
The goal was an important contribution from Goldner, while Chiarelli’s assist demonstrated Idaho’s ability to create scoring opportunities through effective movement and passing in the attacking third.
However, Montana was not ready to surrender on its home field.
Just under four minutes after Goldner’s goal, Montana found its way onto the scoreboard. At 60:19, Grace Morton scored her second goal of the season to cut Idaho’s lead to 2-1.
Morton’s goal came after a cross into the penalty area created an opportunity following a defensive clearance. She collected the loose ball and fired a shot away, beating Idaho goalkeeper Paula Flores.
The goal energized the Grizzlies, who continued pushing forward in search of an equalizer. Montana’s best opportunity to tie the match came in the 77th minute when Megan Wilson-Sofield took a shot from distance. The attempt was blocked by an Idaho defender, and the Vandals managed to prevent the follow-up opportunity from becoming another scoring threat.
Despite Montana’s late pressure, Idaho remained organized defensively and successfully protected its one-goal advantage until the final whistle.
Goalkeeper Paula Flores and the Idaho defensive unit played an important role in securing the victory, particularly during Montana’s second-half comeback attempt.
The victory over Montana completed an impressive road trip for Idaho. The Vandals opened the trip with a 2-0 victory over Portland State on Oct. 29 before following it up with Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Grizzlies. Combining those two victories gave Idaho valuable momentum as the regular season approached its final stages.
The Nov. 1 victory was also significant because it marked Idaho’s first win over Montana in Missoula since 2022. It provided another important conference result and demonstrated the Vandals’ ability to compete in difficult road environments.
Following the victory, Idaho prepared to return home for its next Big Sky Conference matchup against Eastern Washington on Thursday, Nov. 5, at noon.
The Vandals will look to carry their offensive confidence and defensive consistency into that contest as they continue pursuing a strong finish to the 2026 season.
Idaho’s 2-1 victory over Montana was an important accomplishment for the program. Peters provided the early breakthrough, Goldner delivered the eventual game-winning goal, and Flores and the defensive unit held firm when Montana threatened to equalize.
With consecutive road victories, Idaho will be looking forward with strong momentum.