CALDWELL, Idaho – Four College of Idaho seniors capped their collegiate careers with goals, as the Coyotes played spoiler in the Cascade Conference playoff race, exploding for a 5-3 victory over Warner Pacific at Simplot Stadium.
The win helped the Yotes (8-8, 6-7 CCC) record their third straight .500 or better season – eliminating WPU from the postseason chase. C of I finished in a 3-way tie for the final postseason spot, but lost out to Evergreen in a tiebreaker.
C of I rallied for the win – as the Knights (9-7-1, 5-6-2) scored just 88 seconds into the game. Arturo Bahena played a long through-ball up the middle of the field to Kingsley Armah, slotting home a 10-yard shot to the left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Coyotes answered in a big way – as
Bekir Cinac drove home a rebound of a missed attempt in the fourth minute to even the score and in the 17th minute, Cinac played a corner kick to the back post, finding the boot of
Enrique Sanchez for the go-ahead tally.
Ahmet Huremovic extended the lead to 3-1 in the 32nd minute, lacing a 22-yard free kick into the left corner of the net. WPU cut the deficit to 3-2 at the break, as Danilo Alfradique touched home a Franklin Cordon corner kick.
C of I played the final 43 minutes a man down due to a red card – but it did not slow the attack. In the 48th minute, Cinac played 25-yard free kick to the back post, touched home by
Jack O'Leary, while two minutes later, Cinac looped a ball to the left corner of the 6-yard-box, where
Adam Prskavec slammed home the counter.
WPU was unable to take advantage of eight second half corner kicks – mustering an Alexis Figueroa goal in the final four minutes – but could not get closer.
The Yotes held a 20-13 edge in shots, with the Knights recording an 11-10 edge in corners.
The game marked the final collegiate contest for seven C of I seniors – Cinac, Huremovic, Prskavec, Sanchez,
Lucas Schlake,
Cole Fuller and
Chaseton Moncreiffe.
