Monday, October 22, 2012

College Recap - MWC & WAC: Boise State playoff bound, Idaho near

It could be a good year for soccer in the state of Idaho. With Idaho State having won a share of the Big Sky tournament and Boise State heading to the Mountain West tournament (see below), the Idaho Vandals can make it three for three with a good set of results at home in their final weekend of the WAC. 


WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE – WOMEN

Despite a 2-3-1 record the Idaho Vandals are still well within the hunt for a WAC playoff berth as the conference beneath the unbeaten duo of Utah State and Denver being completely wide open in the chase for the four opening round berths in the tournament. With a pair of wins in their final two home games in the upcoming weekend, the Vandals would stand a great probability of making the field of six.

Friday
San Jose State 0 :: 1 Utah State
New Mexico State 0 :: 3 Texas State
Seattle-U 0 :: 0 Louisiana Tech
UTSA 2 :: 4 Denver

Sunday
Idaho 2 :: 1 Louisiana Tech
Katie Baran, Idaho
The Vandals took their most distant trip of the conference slate and picked up their first road win of the year, stunning the previously conference unbeaten Lady Techsters, who had not lost in their last 11 games this season and were 6-0-2 overall at home. Two early goals propelled Idaho to the upset win with Katie Baran (Spokane, WA) heading in a cross from Megan Lopez inside of two minutes. A laser from Jill Flockhart at the corner of the area led to a save rebound that fell to Chelsea Small in the 12th minute to double the lead. A cleared corner led to some hope of a comeback for the hosts in the 83rd minute when a 20 yard effort found the upper corner out of the reach of Liz Boyden (Spokane, WA), who only needed to make four saves with the hosts unable to find the mark with their 14-12 shot advantage. – MORE  

Texas State 1 :: 0 Denver
UTSA 2 :: 1 New Mexico State
Sacramento State 1 :: 2 San Jose State
(non-conf)

Standings [+]    

Coming Up This Week

Friday
Denver @ Idaho – 4:00
New Mexico @ Seattle-U – 4:00
Louisiana Tech @ San Jose State – 8:30
Sunday
Louisiana Tech @ Utah State – Noon
Texas State @ UTSA – Noon
New Mexico State @ Idaho – 2:00
Denver @ Seattle-U

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE – WOMEN

Boise State came from behind in both games to pick up four points on the weekend, but the 1-1 draw against UNLV Sunday cost the Broncos a chance at surpassing New Mexico for the second seed and a bye to the semifinal round in the six-team tournament field which they have locked up a spot in. The Broncos will be playing for seeding (third to fifth) and to honor their outgoing seniors before they head off to San Diego for the conference playoffs.

Friday 
Lauren Hickock, Boise State
Fresno State 1 :: 2 Boise State
The Bulldogs took the lead five minutes before the break, but Brooke Heidemann (Meridian, ID) put things back to level in the 71st minute with a fantastic 20-yard effort over the keeper. Lauren Hickock (Bozeman, MT) found the game-winner in the 103rd minute, receiving the ball in the middle of the box and eluding the keeper for the finish, celebrating her school record-tying 79th career start. – MORE 

Air Force 0 :: 1 New Mexico
UNLV 0 :: 0 Nevada
Wyoming 1 :: 3 San Diego State


Sunday
UNLV 1 :: 1 Boise State
For the second time this week the Broncos gave up the opening goal, allowing the visitors to snare the advantage nine minutes in when a through ball deflected off a defender to Susie Bernal for a 12 yard finish. A free kick in the sixth minute of the second half allowed the Broncos to find the equalizer through Katy Oehring, who found the upper corner from 25 yards. Boise State held on for the draw despite being outshot 16-8 the rest of the way, 22-14 for the game. – MORE  

Wyoming 1 :: 2 New Mexico
Air Force 0 :: 3 San Diego State
Fresno State 0 :: 0 Nevada


Standings [+]    

Coming Up This Week

Friday
Air Force @ Wyoming – 4:00
New Mexico @ San Diego State – 7:00
Saturday
Nevada @ Boise State – 1:00
UNLV @ Fresno State – 6:00

-