CALDWELL, Idaho – The College of Idaho men's soccer team refused to quit. Trailing by two goals early in the second half, the Yotes stormed back with a pair of late scores, including an equalizer in the 87th minute, to salvage a thrilling 2-2 Cascade Conference draw against Walla Walla Sunday afternoon at Simplot Stadium.
After a quiet opening stretch offensively, The College of Idaho found itself facing a 1-0 deficit when Walla Walla's Paulo Tostado scored in the 34th minute. Tostado struck again less than a minute into the second half, putting the visitors ahead 2-0 and leaving the Yotes with a significant uphill climb.
The Yotes gradually seized momentum as the second half progressed, outshooting Walla Walla 8-7 over the final 45 minutes and generating a series of dangerous opportunities.
The breakthrough finally came in the 63rd minute when
Alfie Roffey found the back of the net for his first goal of the season, cutting the deficit in half and igniting the home crowd.
With time winding down, The College of Idaho continued to press forward in search of an equalizer. The persistence paid off in the 87th minute when
Hudson Steele finished a chance created by
Chris Slater, sending the ball into the net to level the match at 2-2 and complete the comeback.
Steele and Roffey accounted for the Yotes' two goals, while Slater recorded the lone assist.
Jake Anderson,
Mitch Cameron and Steele each put a shot on target as The College of Idaho finished with 10 total shots and five on goal.
Yago Gonzalez was outstanding between the posts, making six saves to keep the Yotes within striking distance throughout the afternoon. The junior netminder recorded three saves in each half and denied several dangerous Walla Walla chances.
Walla Walla held a 13-10 advantage in total shots and an 8-5 edge in shots on goal, but The College of Idaho's resilience proved enough to earn a hard-fought point in conference play.
The Yotes will hit the road Thursday, Sept. 25, traveling to face Bushnell University in Eugene, Ore. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT.
