MONMOUTH, Ore. – Alex Eidler scored the game-winner three minutes into overtime, as Western Oregon outlasted a frantic College of Idaho rally to earn a 16-15 victory at the WOU Intramural Field.
The Wolves (6-4, 3-0 PNCLL) clinched themselves no worse than a share of the PNCLL South Division crown with the win – rallying from a 9-7 halftime deficit. It was the Yotes third one-goal loss of the season and their second-straight setback in overtime.
C of I (6-2, 1-2) trailed 14-10 five minutes into the final period, but did not go down without a fight. A
Dillon Green goal started the flurry and
Nich Guzzetti drove home a counter with just under six minutes left to pull the visitors with two. After Logan Comer extended WOU's lead to 15-12, the Coyotes got goals from Guzzetti and Ian Wiliams in a 30-second stretch to cut the gap to 15-14. Inside the final minute, Guzzetti got free for his seventh goal of the day, tying the match and forcing overtime.
In the extra session, C of I earned the initial draw and drew a penalty on the Wolves 90 seconds in. However, Western corralled a ground ball and raced down the field, with Eilder scoring the game-winner inside the final two minutes of the extra session.
Guzzetti, the MCLA's leading scorer, had seven goals and two assists to lead C of I, with Williams and Green each scoring three goals. Keeper
V.J. Dahm had a monster game, recording a career-high 24 saves.
Eidler and Comer each had five goals in the win for WOU, with Andrew Barnett scoring four.
C of I closes out the regular season tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. with a match at Portland State.
