Coming off a heartbreaking and devasting end to the 2022 season, losing to NAU in the Big Sky championship, the Vandals had one goal: winning the Big Sky championship. After an up-and-down season, the Vandals finished 12-5-2 and achieved their goal by defeating Northern Arizona 2-1 to claim their first tournament title and NCAA tournament berth in program history.
The season began with them hosting Seattle University, and Idaho started the season on the right foot with a 3-1 victory. The Vandals would then host a PAC-12 opponent, the Washington Huskies. Idaho lost 3-1 and began the season with an opening weekend split.
The Vandals followed the opening weekend by rattling off four unbeaten games (three wins and one draw). On the last weekend of the non-conference schedule, the Vandals split once again, losing to the University of California Santa Barbara, then going down to the Lone Star State and defeating the University of Texas El Paso 1-0.
Idaho then had nearly a week off before they hosted Weber State for their conference opener. Under the bright lights of the P1FCU Kibbie Dome, the Vandals could only muster a draw and start the conference season with one point.
Idaho then headed down to Pocatello to take on its in-state rivals, the Idaho State Bengals. From the first whistle, the Vandals dominated the Bengals, putting four goals on them and picking up their first conference win 4-0. After the win, the Vandals hit a bump in the road and suffered two consecutive losses to Montana (2-0) and Portland State (2-1), bumping down the Vandals to third place in the conference.
With some help of some key players coming back, the Vandals picked up four straight wins leading into senior day against NAU. With the emotions of senior day, and the chance to claim the #2 seed, the Vandals came in hungry to win. With an 89th-minute goal by senior midfielder Jayd Sprague, the Vandals clinched the #2 seed in the Big Sky tournament and had eyes on the championship, capping a 10-4-2 regular season.
With the Vandals earning a #2 seed, they had the pleasure of sitting back and watching the first day as Portland State made a fantastic comeback and defeated Idaho State 4-1, setting up a rematch from earlier in the year.
The Vandals, ready for revenge and still eyes on the prize, defeated the Vikings on the back of a second-half penalty kick goal by senior midfielder Hannah Alfaro to put the Vandals in the championship.
The Vandals watched as #4 NAU defeated #1 Montana, setting up another rematch from the Big Sky Championship game a year ago. On a windy Sunday in Flagstaff, the emotions of a championship crept in, and the Vandals defeated NAU 2-1 and got the championship they had worked for all season.
After the tournament the Vandals were rewarded for their efforts. Seven players were selected to the all-tournament team including junior center back Rebekah Reyes, senior outside back Alyssa Peters, Lasher, Alvarez, sophomore goalkeeper Kira Witte, Alfaro and Sprague.
With the final goal reached, Alvarez reflected on the season saying, “We accomplished what we set out to do. It was fulfilling knowing that everything we were working for paid off.”
Injuries are a current theme in sports, and for Lasher, she was out most of 2023. However, she was super eager to get back and help her team win. “Obviously, being out most of the year, I was super eager the entire year. It felt good personally that I could finally give the team something, so to be able to score the go-ahead goal, I felt fulfilled,” she said.
Winning a championship feels different for everyone, and for Schoesler and Alvarez, it was the best feeling they have had on the soccer field this year, Schoesler smiled and said, “The feeling of the final whistle blowing or all the goals going in, in the championship game, was by far the best feeling.”
It was almost the same feeling for Alvarez. “I couldn’t believe I did it, honestly. I just shot it, and it was the best feeling ever, when the final whistle blew, I was crying, it was amazing,” she said.
After the historic championship, the Vandals drew Gonzaga, and the players, especially Schoesler, were excited to play.
“When we drew Gonzaga, I was super excited. It was a special feeling for me because my dad’s a Gonzaga alum, so I grew up as a Gonzaga fan my whole life, so just being able to play in front of my whole family was special.”
The Vandals held a top-10 offense to one goal but could not find the back of the net. Idaho ended its season with a 1-0 loss to Gonzaga in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Vandals accomplished every goal they set out to before the season. While the season was bumpy, it sure will be a season to remember for the Vandal fans and players for years to come.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected] or on X @JaydenBarfuss10