LA GRANDE, Ore. — The #11 College of Idaho Yotes would set out for a competitive match on the road this afternoon against the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers, delivering a thrilling game and satisfying victory. After facing an early challenge from the determined Mountaineers, the Yotes would secure the 2-1 lead with poise. The College of Idaho currently sits at first in the Cascade Collegiate Conference with 24 points, with Oregon Tech trailing with 18 points with the Yotes still having a game in hand.
Just ten seconds into the match, Mountaineer forward Kapri McMillan would bounce a shot off the cross bar, quickly followed by a clearance from the Yote defense. On their first attack of the game,
Eden Makaafi would showcase her offensive prowess. Receiving the ball in the attacking third, she would skillfully maneuver past the Mountaineer defense with a couple of deceptive cuts before unleashing a powerful shot that was saved by keeper Madeline Barker. The game would continue in this manner for the rest of the half, with the Mountaineers applying intense pressure while the Yotes maintained their confidence and composure.
In the 25
th minute,
Abbi Roubidoux and
Alexis Eiguren would sub into the College of Idaho attack, proving to be true game changers. Within just two minutes, Roubidoux would race down the right side and deliver a precise cross to Eiguren in the box, allowing her to score her ninth goal of the season. Although the score would remain unchanged for the rest of the half, the match would remain intense, with both the College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon committing six fouls each. While the Mountaineers would stick to their aggressive game plan, the Yotes would outshoot them 7-3.
The second half would reflect the first, with both teams fiercely contesting opportunities, resulting in just two shots each for the College of Idaho and Eastern Oregon.
Larissa Wegner would score for the Yotes in the 61
st minute, beating a Mountaineer in a footrace down the right flank before turning inside and sending a shot past the keeper for her sixth goal of the season. The Mountaineers would waste no time responding, with Brooke Snyder tapping it in off a corner kick just five minutes later.
This half would close with even more energy than the first, with the Yotes marking 10 fouls to the Mountaineers 5, and
Gianna Yslava walking off the pitch in the 86
th minute upon receiving a red card. This match would be a vital win for the nationally ranked College of Idaho Yotes, who are two wins away from clinching the Conference regular season title.
Up next, the Yotes hit the road to face Bushnell University on October 25th in Eugene, Ore., at 1 p.m. MT, and then Corban University the next day at 1 p.m. MT. They will be back in Caldwell on November 1st to host Warner Pacific University at Simplot Stadium, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m.
