CALDWELL, Idaho – College of Idaho moved one step closer to clinching a postseason berth for the third-straight year, earning a key point in the Cascade Conference table by virtue of a 0-0 draw with Northwest University on Senior Day at Simplot Stadium.
The two teams combined for 42 shots and had three attempts bang off the crossbar, but keepers Kat Sanchez and
Brittany Houghton combined to turn away 22 shots on frame.
The draw extended the Lady Yotes (7-5-2, 3-4-2 CCC) unbeaten streak to five matches. C of I can secure a postseason berth with a win or draw in one of their final two matches (at Oregon Tech and at Southern Oregon), or a draw or loss by Evergreen.
C of I had the run of the pitch in the first half, getting two quality chances in the opening 15 minutes – as a
Camas Curran header in the second minute banged off the cross bar and a
Maddie Brown sitter from 10-yards out in the 12th minute missed just high.
The Eagles (9-4-2, 5-2-2) had their best chance of the opening half in the 24th minute, as a 35-yard free kick from Bailey Travis nailed the cross bar.
The teams traded opportunities midway through the second half, as a Travis blast in the 56th minute went through the rushing Houghton's hands, but
Hailey Boyd touched the ball off the goal line to thwart the scoring chance. Two minutes later, C of I played a cross to the waiting Brown, who roped a header off the middle of the cross bar.
C of I looked to have scored the go-ahead goal in the 74th minute – but the strike was disallowed due to an offsides flag.
The Yotes had the best chance in the first overtime, as an unmarked
Summer Jackson ripped a 15-yard shot that missed wide right, while in the second extra frame, NU peppered the goal six times, but could not find the counter.
Sanchez finished with 12 saves for NU, while Houghton made nine stops for C of I. The Yotes held a slight 23-19 edge in shots and a 7-5 lead in corner kicks.
The match marked the final home game for six seniors – Jackson,
Allie Boyd,
Jamiece Yizar,
Camas Curran,
Reilly Coyle and
Mallory Cripps.
