After 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, it all came down to penalty kicks. With the Vandals trailing 8-7 in the shootout, graduate midfielder Margo Schoesler stepped up to the spot with the season and a trophy on the line.
The whistle blew, and Schoesler struck the ball with her right foot. Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Sierra Sonko read the kick and saved the penalty to give Sacramento State its first Big Sky championship since 2010, leaving the Vandals in heartbreak.
With both teams’ sights on glory, the game began with them feeling the pressure and not wanting to make a mistake. The nervousness from both teams led to turnovers and no flow to the game. The Vandals, however, settled down and began to find their groove.
With their sharp passing and quick movement, they opened the Hornets’ defense and led to opportunities at goal. In the 24th minute, the Vandals’ best chance at scoring came. The ball found the feet of graduate forward Jadyn Hanks. Hanks cut back to her left foot and tried to place the ball in the far corner, but it was saved for a corner kick.
On the ensuing corner kick, graduate outside back Alyssa Peters sent a ball to the six-yard box. Senior midfielder Annika Farley rose up and connected her header to the ball; however, it went wide, and the Vandals and Hornets were scoreless at halftime.
The second half began just like the first, with both teams struggling to find possession and an offensive rhythm. The Vandals dominated the game and pressured the Hornets’ defense, but the Hornets’ defense did not budge.
After 80 minutes of little to no offense, the Hornets got the chance to get the go-ahead goal. In the 81st minute, the Hornets put in a long ball to the box that went off the hands of redshirt freshman goalkeeper Paula Flores, who got her hand stepped on in the process.
Through the scramble, Flores scrambled back to her feet as Sacramento State got the shot off. Flores saved the rebound, and the Vandals cleared the ball. The game remained scoreless after 90 minutes, sending it into extra time.
In the first period of extra time, the Vandals went on the attack, posting six shots and two corners, but they were not good enough in front of the goal to score the game-winner.
With the Hornets hanging on for dear life, they frustrated the Vandals all night. After two ten-minute periods of extra time, there was still no breakthrough, which sent the game into penalty kicks. The Vandals connected on seven of their nine penalty kicks but fell short in the end.
Even with the shootout loss, the Vandals had four players who were chosen for the All-Big Sky tournament team. Hanks, Peters, Flores, and sophomore midfielder Sara Rodgers were selected.
This season and the Vandals’ three-year run have been nothing short of incredible. They have made three championship appearances, including the school’s first championship win, an NCAA tournament appearance, and a record of 36-13-9 over that span. This Idaho Vandal team, which started as a young team with potential, blossomed into a dominant, electric, championship team with championship-caliber players.
Now, as the Vandals face the departure of a handful of starters and critical depth players, a new era looms on the horizon, but the foundation has been set. The next generation of Vandals will take the field knowing they are building on something truly special and continuing the legacy left by this Vandals squad.
While the championship game might not be their crowning moment, the legacy of these Vandals will live on for years to come. This wasn’t the end, It’s simply the beginning of the next great chapter in Idaho Vandals women’s soccer.
Jayden Barfuss can be reached at [email protected]