Alyssa Pease and Katie Baran — soccer
The Idaho soccer team won its first game on Sunday against Grand Canyon. Both Alyssa Pease and Katie Baran were a big part of why the Vandals won their WAC opener. Alyssa Pease, a freshman from Bend, Ore., got the Vandals on the board in the 20th minute when she netted Baran a corner kick. When asked about the goal, Pease was surprised about it.
“I was standing by myself on the goal line and the ball just came to my feet,” Pease said. “I just kind of tapped it in. It was really weird, but it worked.”
Baran, a junior from Nine Mile Falls, Wash., had an assist as well as a goal during the game. Along with the assist on the Pease goal, she netted a goal of her own in the 68th minute of the game, firing a shot from 10 yards out. She took the pass from Alyssa Lloyd in the center of the field and beat a Grand Canyon University defender, giving the Vandals the 3-0 advantage. The Vandals continue their five-game home stretch on Friday, Sept. 27, when New Mexico State comes to Guy Wicks Field.
Chad Chalich — football
Redshirt freshman Chad Chalich was the highlight of a struggling Vandal football team in the Battle of the Palouse on Saturday at Washington State. Chalich, a redshirt freshman from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, showed his toughness when the offensive line broke down and threw the ball with poise. Although Chalich didn’t have a touchdown pass, he completed 17-of-23 passes for 167 yards without an interception. His total passing yards are more than the Cougars have allowed any other quarterback so far this season. Chalich now has 801 yards through the air to go along with 88 yards on the ground through four games. He has three touchdowns and no interceptions. The Vandals return to the Kibbie Dome for Homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 28, against Temple.
Galina Bykova — women’s tennis
Idaho freshman Galina Bykova won her first four singles matches in the main draw of the Jack Taylor Classic at Boise State over the weekend. She lost Sunday’s championship match against Boise State’s Morgan Basil.
“We’re really excited to see Galina make the finals of this tough tournament in her first college event,” Idaho Director of Tennis Jeff Beaman said.
Bykova, a freshman from St. Petersburg, Russia, stayed strong through the match but she ultimately lost in two sets 7-5, 6-2. Beaman has been pleased with not only Bykova but the women’s tennis team as a whole.
“The overall performance by the girls has been a great start to the year,” Beaman said.
The women’s tennis team returns to the court on Friday for the Cougar Classic in Pullman.
Meredith Coba — volleyball
Sophomore setter Meredith Coba played well in the Vandal volleyball team’s victory against the Nevada Wolf Pack on Friday. The Vandals won in three consecutive sets on a solid passing night for Coba.
The sophomore from Salem, Ore., distributed the ball well, finishing with 30 assists and a team-high eight digs.
“Coba did a nice job of finding (the middle blockers),” Idaho coach Debbie Buchanan said. “At the beginning, they were really committing with our middles but as the match went on and we started getting our pins more involved and then went back to our middles, we had more openings. Coba did a nice job of being able to balance that out.”
The Vandals return home to start WAC play on Thursday, Sept. 26, against Utah Valley.