2021 Spring Women's Soccer Notebook (Week 6)

COMING UP: vs. Montana State Billings, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

COMPLETE MEDIA GAME NOTES
  
GAME COVERAGE: Fans can view all home soccer games with Live Video on the Yotes Digital Network. Each game will be available pay-per-view for $8.99 per game or $19.99 for the entire season pass. Live Stats on Friday will be offered on the C of I Stretch Internet Portal.
 
ABOUT MONTANA STATE BILLINGS: The Yellowjackets are 2-2 this season, including a 3-0 win on Feb. 19 over C of I common opponent Rocky Mountain. Jordan Roe leads the MSUB attack with a pair of goals so far on the young season. Emily Gaines has a goal and an assist. Clare Keenan (2.24 GAA) and Lainey Bosch have split time in the net, with Bosch having yet to allow a goal in 119 minutes in which she has hauled in five saves.
 
EVANS NAMED CCC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: College of Idaho defender Kaya Evans was honored as the Embrace Health-Santiam Hospital Cascade Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday. Evans was a key part of a C of I defensive unit that limited Providence to just three total shots across two games, including only one on frame, as the Yotes shutout the Argos twice. C of I then knocked off No. 19 Rocky Mountain on Sunday 3-1, with the lone goal for the Battlin' Bears coming on a penalty kick.
 
RECEIVING VOTES: For the first time since Nov. 3, 2015, C of I received votes this week in the NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll. The last time the program was ranked was Oct. 5, 2010 when the Yotes found themselves at the No. 20 spot in the poll. 
 
WIN OVER A RANKED OPPONENT: The win over No. 19 Rocky Mountain marked the first victory over a top-25 opponent for the Yotes since a 1-0 defeat of then No. 1 ranked Concordia on Oct. 4, 2014.
 
FAST START: The 3-0 record to begin Cascade Conference play for C of I was the best start for the program in league action since the 2009 team won five straight.
 
HOME SUCCESS: Over the past 19 matches at home, C of I boasts a record of 13-2-4, including a string of four consecutive wins on the Simplot Stadium turf over the final four contests of last season.

ON THE ATTACK: The Yotes have been frequent visitors to the opponents side of the field through four conference matches, outshooting the opposition 80-21 on the way to outscoring Providence and Rocky Mountain by a combined score of 12-3.
 
FRESHMAN FIREPOWER: Freshman Maddie Smith continues to create opportunities for herself and her teammates, with the Coeur d'Alene native tallying her team-leading fourth goal of the season on Monday at Rocky. Smith has also contributed a team-best four assists.
 
SCHLAKE SCORES: Sophomore Lily Schlake posted the first goal of her C of I career on Sunday in the 3-1 defeat of the Battlin' Bears.
 
SMITH WINNINGEST COACH IN PROGRAM HISTORY: Brian Smith became the winningest coach all-time for the women's soccer program with his 59th victory last season in the 1-0 win over Multnomah on Nov. 1.
 
RECORD BOOK: Goalkeeper Kylee Atkins ended the year in the Top-20 list in multiple single season categories including No. 20 in saves (68), No. 7 in save percentage (.850), No. 6 in goals against average (0.87), No. 11 in wins (6) and No. 19 in shutouts (2.5). Atkins and Shae Waters combined for the second-best season in the net in the categories of save percentage (.863) and goals against average (0.77).
 
LOOKING AHEAD: C of I will remain home on Mar. 28-29 for a key home series with Eastern Oregon, which is currently ranked No. 9 nationally. The Mountaineers sit in the top spot in the East Division standings with 10 points, with the Yotes right behind with nine points.
 
CONFERENCE FORMAT CHANGES: Since the preseason poll was released, the CCC has changed formats to feature an East Division and a West Division, with Carroll, Providence, Rocky Mountain, Eastern Oregon and College of Idaho in the East and Warner Pacific, Corban, Southern Oregon, Northwest, Bushnell and Oregon Tech in the West. The top teams at the end of the regular season in each division will receive an automatic qualifier to the NAIA Championships.
 
NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT INFORMATION: The 37th Annual NAIA Women's Soccer National Championships will be played at campus sites for the opening round Apr. 15-17 before moving to the final site of the Foley Sports Tourism Championship Field in Foley, Ala. on Apr. 27-May 3.