NAMPA, Idaho – For 90 minutes on Friday night, The College of Idaho men's soccer team bent but never broke.
Behind a stellar performance from goalkeeper
Fynn Gehring and a resilient defensive effort, the Yotes opened the 2026 season with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Northwest Nazarene University at NNU Soccer Field. While the match counted as a regular-season contest for The College of Idaho, it served as an exhibition for the NCAA Division II Nighthawks.
Facing a program from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference, the Yotes spent much of the evening absorbing pressure from an attack-minded NNU side that outshot The College of Idaho 14-1 and held a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks. Time and again, however, the visitors found an answer.
That answer was Gehring.
The sophomore junior delivered six saves in his team debut, including three in each half, to earn the shutout. Early in the contest, Gehring denied attempts from Rylan McPherson, Youseff El Madkouri and David Campos to keep the match deadlocked despite sustained pressure from the Nighthawks.
NNU continued to push after halftime, generating opportunities through El Madkouri, Carson Din and Maddox Marcelli, but Gehring remained composed in goal. His stop on Marcelli in the 84th minute preserved the clean sheet as the Yotes weathered a final surge from the home side.
The College of Idaho's lone shot came in the 51st minute when
Rodri Garcia-Marina fired an attempt over the crossbar, though the Yotes continued to battle defensively and frustrate the Nighthawks throughout the evening. The Yotes looked to temporarily break the tie, but the goal was called offside.
The scoreless result reflected the determination of a Yotes squad willing to defend relentlessly. NNU placed six shots on frame, but none found a way past Gehring and the steadfast College of Idaho back line.
The Yotes will have one final tune-up before entering the heart of their regular-season schedule, hosting College of Southern Idaho in a scrimmage. The College of Idaho officially resumes regular-season action Sept. 1 when it takes on The Master's University in California.
