SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - The College of Idaho men's soccer team advanced to their first Cascade Collegiate Conference title game since 2008, clinching a spot at the NAIA Championships in the process, taking down Warner Pacific on Thursday.
The game ended in a 1-1 draw, and thus headed to the winner-take-all penalty kick shootout, where the Yotes would advance by a score of 5-4.
Tom Baynard-Smith recorded the title game berth save with a diving stop with his foot, as the Yotes advanced to their first conference championship game in 15 years. That was also the last time the team clinched a spot at the NAIA Championships.
In regulation time,
Jorge Fernandez was able to get the scoring started, putting the ball past the WPU keeper in the 12th minute as the Yotes jumped out to a one goal lead early, which they would hold into the halftime break. In the second half, the Knights' Hunter Leach took the ball from Miguel Andalon-Ordaz to square the game at one.
Following Leach's game tying goal, two periods of extra time were not enough to break the tie, and the two sides headed to the penalty shootout. The first four rounds consisted of both sides scoring on the PK, as Fernandez,
Joao Bastos,
Eric Hornung, and
Dani Alejos each netted the ball through the four rounds. In the fifth round,
Pol Romero got things started, scoring the Yotes' fifth of the PK shootout, forcing goalkeeper
Tom Baynard-Smith to make a crucial save. When Omar Seoudy shot the ball, Baynard-Smith dove, and the ball hit his foot and stayed out, clinching the title game spot.
The Yotes advance to the championship game, taking on Southern Oregon on Friday in Eugene. During the two team's first meeting this season, the Yotes were able to outduel the Raiders, handing them their first conference loss.
