SNOHOMISH, Wash. — With the Cascade Collegiate Conference title hanging in the balance and the final minutes of the regular season slipping away, the No. 7 College of Idaho women's soccer team delivered a championship moment when they needed to deliver most.
In the 86th minute, senior forward Eden Makaafi buried the game-winner off a decisive setup from Natasja Davis, lifting the Yotes to a heart-pounding 1–0 victory over Northwest University and securing the program's third consecutive CCC regular season championship.
The Yotes entered the match knowing that only a win would seal the title. For more than 85 tense minutes, they dominated every facet of play but were repeatedly denied by Northwest goalkeeper Katie Snow, who recorded an astonishing 17 saves to keep her team alive. College of Idaho out-shot Northwest 27–6 and placed 18 shots on frame, striking both the post and crossbar as they relentlessly pushed forward.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the dying moments. With the season on the line, Davis found Makaafi. When the Yotes needed a goal the most, the Yotes' most prolific goal scorer netted her 37th career goal that would reach the back of the net to cap her regular season career with a third straight title.
On the defensive end, goalkeeper Alivia Brenchley was steady and composed, stopping all four Northwest shots on goal to secure the shutout and cap a dominant day for the Yote back line.
The victory punctuates a remarkable conference season in which the Yotes scored 46 goals, allowed only 9, and recorded six shutouts while posting a 15–2 overall record and a 12–1 mark in CCC play. The result also solidifies the program's third straight Cascade Collegiate Conference regular season championship, underscoring a sustained level of excellence unmatched in program history.
With the regular season title secured, the Yotes will now await official CCC Tournament seeding, which will determine their next opponent and match time. Entering the postseason with one of the nation's most potent offenses and most disciplined defenses, College of Idaho stands ready to make a run of their third straight CCC Tournament Title in Medford, Ore. starting on November 8th.
