CALDWELL, Idaho – For 32 straight Cascade Collegiate Conference regular-season matches, The College of Idaho women's soccer team had been untouchable. That streak came to a dramatic end Friday night at Simplot Stadium, as (RV) Southern Oregon delivered a stunning 3-2 upset over the fourth-ranked Yotes.
The loss marks the first time since Oct. 28, 2022, that the Yotes have fallen to a CCC opponent in regular-season play.
Early on, it looked like business as usual for the Yotes. In the 20th minute, Gianna Yslava threaded a perfectly weighted pass to Abbi Roubidoux, who turned her defender with her first touch and buried a clinical strike into the back of the net for her 12th goal of the season. The goal capped a dominant opening stretch in which The College of Idaho controlled possession and peppered the Raiders' goal.
But momentum shifted dramatically in the final 10 minutes of the first half. Southern Oregon struck twice in quick succession, first through Frida Vargas in the 41st minute. No backing down to the might hosts, the Raiders struck again just two minutes later when Tori Lasch pounced on a loose ball and finished to give the Raiders a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
The Yotes came out firing in the second half, launching wave after wave of attacks and outshooting Southern Oregon 22-12 for the match. Yet, in the 72nd minute, disaster struck. On a rare counterattack, an untimely foul inside the box handed the Raiders a penalty kick. Sierra Sam Fong stepped up and calmly slotted home, extending the lead to 3-1.
Refusing to fold, The College of Idaho pressed relentlessly. Their aggression paid off in the 84th minute when Natasja Davis capitalized on a poorly cleared ball, smashing home her sixth goal of the season to cut the deficit to one. Despite a furious final push, the equalizer never came.
Southern Oregon goalkeeper Brittany Standley was immense, recording eight saves under constant pressure. For the Yotes, Alivia Brenchley finished with two saves in a match dominated by possession but decided by clinical finishing and key moments.
The College of Idaho (10-2-0, 7-1-0 CCC) will look to rebound quickly, returning to Simplot Stadium tomorrow for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff against Oregon Tech.
