2021 Spring Women's Soccer Notebook (Week 8)

COMING UP: at Carroll, Monday and Tuesday, 12 p.m.

COMPLETE MEDIA GAME NOTES
  
GAME COVERAGE: Live Video in Helena will be provided on the Carroll YouTube Channel. Live Stats will be offered on the Carroll DakStats Portal.
 
ABOUT CARROLL: The Fighting Saints have won three straight heading into the contests against the Yotes. Blair Stapleton has led the attack with three goals this year, while six other players have tallied one each. Carroll primary goalie Sarah Conway (1.24 GAA, 28 saves) is a two-sport athlete who also plays in the outfield for the softball program. Sydney Green (0.41 GAA, 8 saves) has played over 200 minutes in the net as well.
 
BREAKING DOWN THE SCENARIOS: The Yotes control their own destiny in regards to earning an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championships. C of I currently sits in second in the East Division with 13 points behind the 17 points of Eastern Oregon. The Mountaineers have no more regular season matches slated. As scheduled, the Yotes need to earn at least four points across the two matches against Carroll, meaning C of I can earn the automatic berth with two wins or a win and a draw.
 
IN THE MIX FOR A TITLE: C of I previously won the only Cascade Conference regular season championship in program history in 2009. That team finished 14-3 overall and 8-1 in the CCC.
 
RECEIVING VOTES AGAIN: For the second time in a row, C of I received votes in the most recent 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. 
 
CORNERING THE OPPOSITION: The Yotes hold a 66-41 edge over opponents in corner kicks for the season, including posting an 18-5 advantage over Eastern Oregon this past week.
 
CONFERENCE BY THE NUMBERS: In league play, C of I has outshot opponents 109-39 and outscored the opposition by a total of 14-4.
 
CONTINUING HOME SUCCESS: Over the past 22 matches at home, C of I boasts a record of 15-2-5.

LAST MATCH RECAP: Alexa Rierson headed in the game-winner in the 51st minute to lead The College of Idaho to an important 1-0 win over No. 9 ranked Eastern Oregon on Monday afternoon at Simplot Stadium. Rierson found the net after a beautifully served corner kick from Payton Mongelli, breaking a scoreless tie and giving the Yotes a lead they would not relinquish. The win for the Yotes is the second over a top-25 team for the program this season. EOU ends the regular season with 17 points, while the win moves C of I up to 13 points. The Yotes have two contests on the docket for next Monday and Tuesday against Carroll. As scheduled, a pair of wins against the Fighting Saints or a win and a draw would give the Yotes the East Division title, as the Mountaineers have no regular season conference matches remaining on the schedule. Keeper Kylee Atkins was once again impressive in the net for C of I, withstanding a quick flurry of three shots in the 19th minute to come away unscathed and finishing the match with five total saves and a shutout. Multiple defenders including Mongelli, Alyssa Goff and Payton Anderson each played critical roles in the back line as well, along with the speedy Kaitlyn Ramon. C of I posted a 13-10 advantage in shots for the contest, including an 8-5 edge in shots on frame. For the second day in a row, corner kick opportunities were also plentiful for the Yotes, who finished with seven to just four for EOU.
 
DYNAMIC DISTRIBUTORS: C of I has 23 assists on 22 goals this season, led by the four assists of Maddie Smith and Madison Glascock. Lily Schlake and Chloe Teets have contributed three.
 
NEARING 200 PROGRAM WINS: The Yotes are now just two wins away from 200 in the history of the program, as the defeat of EOU earned C of I win number 198.
 
LOOKING AHEAD: The NAIA Women's Soccer Selection Show will premiere on the PlayNAIA Facebook Page at 11 a.m. CST on Monday, Apr. 12.
 
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 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.