CALDWELL, Idaho – An early goal by
Bekir Cinac lifted the College of Idaho to a 1-0 victory over Oregon Tech in the Cascade Conference opener for both teams at Simplot Stadium.
The result extended C of I's win streak to four matches – their longest string of wins since the 2010 season, when the Yotes (4-1, 1-0 CCC) won five-straight games and had an eight-game unbeaten streak.
Playing into a head wind of 25 miles-per-hour in the first half, C of I took advantage of an untimely error by the Owls (1-3, 0-1) to take the lead. After drawing a foul in the ninth minute well outside the box on the left side, Cinac served a long bending cross into the scrum. Tech keeper Gerardo Skewes went to make a save, but the ball went right between his gloves and into the net for the lone goal of the day.
Tech kept the pressure on throughout – as Trinidad Flores clanged the crossbar in the 22nd minute, with
Grant Billings needing to make diving stops to stuff chances from Benito Torres-Mata and Kelly Kyllo. OIT held an 8-2 edge on total shots in the second half – but couldn't find the goal.
The Owls finished with a 17-6 edge in total shots, including an 8-1 edge in shots on frame and had all five corner kick chances.
Billings had six saves in the first 50 minutes of the match, turning the game over to his younger brother,
Parker Billings, who made two stops to complete the shutout.
C of I returns to action on Sunday, hosting Southern Oregon at 2:30 p.m.
