After a four-goal performance against Idaho State in their last game, the Idaho women’s soccer team looked to keep its momentum going. The University of Montana, however, got the better of the Vandals as the Griz scored two goals two minutes apart to defeat the Vandals 2-0.
This game was poised as the matchup of the season so far in the Big Sky, and it did not disappoint. Idaho and Montana came out firing, with both teams putting the other under pressure. Early on, a stroke of magic by the Griz put them in front.
Sophomore forward Kayla Rendon Bushmaker received the ball with her back turned to the goal. She then heal flicked it into space where junior forward Ava Samuelson caught up to the pass, made a move, then rocketed a cross into the six-yard box. It found junior forward Delaney Lou Schorr who headed it into the bottom right corner just out of the reach of sophomore goalkeeper Kira Witte to put the Griz up 1-0 15 minutes into the game.
Before the fans could stop celebrating, the Griz had a second in the back of the net. In the 17th minute, the same duo connected. This time, Lou Schorr put the ball into the opposite corner, flatfooting Witte and putting the Griz up 2-0.
Despite the 2-0 deficit, the Vandals kept fighting and had a couple more chances to end the first half, but they took a 2-0 deficit into the locker room. The Vandals got nine shots off and three of them were on goal. Montana got eight shots off with three on goal and two finding the back of the net.
After the 15-minute intermission, the Vandals came out hungry and ready for the second half. Idaho, who took a minute to adjust to Montana’s high press in the first half, went right at the Griz. The Vandals began to play their brand of soccer and pushed the tempo of the game.
In the 71st minute, on a corner kick by senior outside back Alyssa Peters into junior Jayd Sprague, it looked like the Vandals’ efforts had finally paid off. Sprague beat everyone to the ball and headed it into the goal. It looked as though the ball might have crossed the goal line and went off the hand of junior midfielder Bella O’Brien. However, a goal was not given, and the score remained 2-0.
In the end, the Vandals did not have enough time to come back, falling to Montana 2-0. With the loss, Idaho fell to 6-3-2 and 1-1-1 in conference play. The Griz improved to 7-2-3 on the season and 1-0-1 in conference play.
The game was not short on shots, which kept the two best goalkeepers in the conference rather busy. Idaho finished the game with 19 shots, eight of those on frame. All eight of those were saved by redshirt freshman Ashlyn Dvorak, who recorded her seventh shutout of the season.
Montana put up 12 shots, six of which were on goal. Four of the six were saved by Witte. Head Coach Jeremy Clevenger was pleased with the effort but said the missed opportunities were the deciding factor in the game.
“Montana is a good team, and the difference is that they capitalized on their opportunities, and we did not,” Clevenger said. “It was two even teams, (and) I thought we had a better second half. I was proud of our players’ efforts.”
Both these teams are very experienced, and Montana used that experience to their advantage as it held off the ferocious second half attack from the Vandals.
The Vandals are stretched thin up front and that lack of depth and firepower in the final third showed in the loss.
Senior forward Ariel Lofton is out for the season, and senior forward Maddy Lasher is still out. The Vandals have had to fight off injuries all season, and with another big road trip coming up, the depth and endurance of this Vandals team will be tested.
The Vandals will try and shake off this loss as they head up north to Rose City to take on Portland State on Oct. 6.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on X @JaydenBarfuss10