Ching coming back: “I still feel like I can contribute”

A lot of fans of former Spokane Shadow PDL and Gonzaga standout Brian Ching may have gotten one of their wishes for 2013 granted today as the Hawaiian decided he will play at least one more season in Major League Soccer for the Houston Dynamo.

Boise State to stay in Mountain West after all

Though it had previously committed to moving the Broncos into the Big East for football in 2013 and the Big West for all other sports, including the women’s soccer program, Boise State University announced today via news releases that the program has reversed course and will remain a member of the Mountain West Conference for all sports.

INW Soccer News selects Collegiate 2012 Season Best XI

It was a pretty good collegiate season this year for programs in and players from the region.  The following is this season’s INW Soccer News Best XI player selections for the collegiate campaign, honoring 33 of the region’s top women’s players and 22 men’s selections.

Have Your Say: INW Soccer Men’s College Player of the Year

The INW Soccer News Collegiate Best XI selections have been announced. Here is your opportunity to have your say in who should be considered as the top INW player for the year.

Have Your Say: INW Soccer Women’s College Player of the Year

The INW Soccer News Collegiate Best XI selections have been announced. Here is your opportunity to have your say in who should be considered as the top INW player for the year.

For the Road: NBC News report on major security concern at hotels

NBC News aired a report today concerning a significant new security flaw in the electronic hotel room key systems that criminals are now using to break into hotel rooms in a matter of seconds.  Knowing that most INWsoccernews viewers are often on the road, I felt that it was important to share this story so that teams, players and their property are safe when traveling to tournaments around the region. Before you go to the NBC News report linked below, here are the two most important things to remember when staying at a hotel.

Shine’s Robertson headed to UEFA Champions League

Spokane Shine midfielder Lisa Robertson was announced as a new signing for Glasgow City of the Scottish women’s premier league Sunday, marking the end of a lengthy career with Hibernian for the former Scottish youth international, who spent the 2012 summer with the American WPSL club.

Seven Reasons to watch MLS Cup Saturday

Both the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, after surprising sub-par seasons, showed their veteran experience and quality in the MLS Cup playoffs, and are set to play for the league championship for a second consecutive year Saturday. Here are some of the top reasons for Northwesterners to catch the game at 1:30 pm PT on ESPN (or Telefutura, TSN, RDS) even though the Sounders and Timbers are not playing... 

School changes to highlight final Vandals season in WAC

Denver University will not be following the University of Idaho to the Big Sky when the Vandals make the move in 2014-15. In their one and only season in the WAC Denver won the conference title this season at 6-0-2 (17-3-4 overall) and reached the Sweet 16 for the first time before bowing out to defending champion Stanford. 

Tournament Updates: INW players lead Concordia in title quests

Thanksgiving has come on gone and only a handful of players from around the region are thankful for still being alive for a national championship as both Concordia sides face a four-game week for the NAIA championships in Alabama.

Peninsula Pirates snare NWAACC titles from grasps of Spokane, Walla Walla for rare double

Both defenses were difficult to beat for Spokane and Peninsula in title game | Photos: Gerald Barnhart (gallery)

Sunday just was not a good day for the NWAACC East Division. Both of the East-West All-Star teams fell to the North-South in the first half of the day’s action at the Starfire Sports Complex, and then the CC Spokane women were edged via penalties, 3-2, after a 1-1 draw for the championship by the Peninsula Pirates, who also saw the men win, 1-0, against Walla Walla on an 87th minute tally.

The double was the league’s first since 1999 when Columbia Basin won both titles in a showdown with current East Division rival Spokane in both the men’s and women’s finals.

Big block sends Bigfoot onto NWAACC Final

Currie surrounded after scoring winning tally | Photo: Gerald Barnhart (photo gallery)

It was about as one-sided as a semifinal match could be Saturday morning at the Starfire Sports Complex as the East champion CC Spokane Bigfoot squared off against Clackamas in the first semifinal of the day, but it came down to a 90th minute Lateashea Currie strike created by a Tasha Luu block in the offensive third as the Sasquatch advanced, 1-0. The Bigfoot will face Peninsula, 3-1 winners against Everett, in the championship in Tukwila, Wash. Sunday at 3:00 pm PT. 

Week 13 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

It is tournament time. Only a handful of teams and players are left in action, making week 13 the final installment for a Best XI list. For games through Sunday, November 11.

All-Star laden Sasquatch headed to Tukwila for NWAACC Final Four

It was a cold afternoon with temperatures just above freezing after the season's first snowfall a few days before

NWAACC Semifinals set for men & women; All-Stars & honors announced

The record-setting CC Spokane women affirmed their status as a top seed Saturday by clinching a ticket to the league’s Final Four with a fairly easy 3-1 victory over Whatcom CC, the second seed from the North. They join the trio of Peninsula, Everett and Clackamas, who are all returning from last year’s quartet.

College Recap: Tournament time for INW teams

Three schools from the Inland Northwest (Idaho State, Washington State and Whitworth) and players from the region representing eight other teams (Arizona State, Santa Clara, Western Washington, Seattle Pacific, Puget Sound, Concordia M&W and Rocky Mountain) advanced to their respective national tournaments. The NCAA schools have already kicked off their title chases - highlighted by Western Washington getting wins in the first two rounds of DII action - while the NAIA gets underway this weekend.

Whitworth’s Pirates best known for defense; kick off postseason Saturday

Final words on a chilly night beneath the temporary lights at Whitworth | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

When it comes to the Pirates of Whitworth, the story is more of a case of defending the ship instead of plundering the opposition or living carefree like Captain Jack Sparrow. These buccaneers, who mark their return to the NCAA Division III tournament at 3:00 pm PT Saturday in San Antonio (Trinity University) against Mississippi College, have posted one of the nation’s best defensive performances this year via a crew of six that have stifled one opponent after another.

Bigfoot look to take another big step forward Saturday in playoff opener

CC Spokane Bigfoot celebrate winning the East Division | Photos: Gerald Barnhart (gallery)

On Saturday, the NWAACC’s second-best team on paper begins its playoff campaign in the league quarterfinals when the CC Spokane Bigfoot play host to Whatcom CC, the second-place side from the North Division, at Spokane Falls Community College. The winner advances to the NWAACC Final Four the following weekend in Tukwila, WA at 1:30 pm.

Week 12 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

This week’s list of recipients are a mix from teams finishing their seasons and those in conference postseason action. For games through Sunday, November 4.

College Recap - CCC & Frontier: Rocky Mountain sweeps Frontier; Northwest, Concordia have same opportunity

Not surprisingly, the top two seeds in the Cascade Collegiate Conference's tournament, Northwest and Concordia, were victorious in the semifinals. On the men's side, the College of Idaho closed the season on a positive note with a pair of shutouts against Oregon Tech while others were playing for the postseason. Chief among the other results was Warner Pacific spoiling Concordia’s bid for an unbeaten season.

In the Frontier Conference, Rocky Mountain captured the league championship with a pair of victories over their state foes on the weekend, blanking Great Falls and narrowly slipping by Carroll in the season finale. The title sends them to Tennessee, where they will square off with Martin Methodist College of Tennessee (14-3) Saturday for the Frontier / TransSouth Unaffiliated Group championship. The men made it a sweep with a victory over the Argos, sending them to Salt Lake City to face the same MMCT Saturday.  

College Recap - NWC & GNAC: Whitworth women fall short as men learn NCAA foe; MSUB falls to WWU in Final

A rough Halloween week proved to be more trick than treat for the Whitworth women as they saw their title hopes dashed with three losses. After clinching the title last week, the men played their reserves in the final match as they awaited news of their NCAA DIII Tournament draw. Meanwhile, in the Division II GNAC, MSU-Billings bid for a berth via an upset against Western Washington was dashed in the league final.

College Recap - WCC & PAC-12: Cougars top Huskies, hope for NCAA spot

The Gonzaga women wrapped up their campaign with a thumping of nearby rival Eastern Washington in a non-conference match-up while Washington State continued its run of dominance over state rival Washington, hoping that an NCAA tournament berth is in the future with a 12-6-1 overall record. 

College Recap - Big Sky, WAC, MWC: Idaho State lone team to win conference tourney

While their state's other Division I compatriots, Idaho and Boise State, were knocked out of their conference tournaments in the WAC and MWC, Idaho State stayed true to it's top seed - despite a three-way tie for the title - in the Big Sky and came away with a league-high fifth championship to clinch a berth in the NCAA tournament, advancing via an outstanding goalkeeping performance by freshman Sheridan Hapsic in two penalty kick shootouts at home.

MSUB reaches GNAC Final; Montana, Idaho State to meet for Big Sky title

Shot from Richter (left) led to MSU-Billings winner from Mancilla (right) in GNAC semifinal

Montana State University-Billings upset second-seeded Seattle Pacific in the semifinals of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Thursday evening while Idaho State and Montana advanced from their respective semifinals Friday afternoon.

LD Update: MISL season kicks off; NASL Minnesota gets new owners

The spotlight of MISL opening weekend was stolen away a bit by the NASL's announcement Friday that the Board of Governors ratified a deal that allowed the league-owned Minnesota Stars to be acquired by a new local ownership group.

Week 11 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

With the end of the season in sight, teams were looking for needed results for postseason positioning or to for positive finishes for seniors and the future of the program. For games through Sunday, October 28.

Could Halloween be Ching’s last hurrah?

If you are a local soccer fan, you may want to postpone trick-or-treating with the kids or turn the TV on at the party to catch the game on ESPN2 at 6:00 pm PT.

When the Orange Crush aptly take the field on Halloween Wednesday night on the road against the Chicago Fire, it could very well mark the end of the playing career of former Gonzaga and Spokane Shadow PDL forward Brian Ching if his Houston Dynamo fail to advance from the opening round match.

2012 Conference Honors dished out to INW players

Now that the college regular seasons around the northwest and beyond are wrapping up, the various conferences are announcing their season honors. As players from or at schools in the INWsoccernews.com coverage area are recognized, we will aggregate them here.

College Recap - CCC & Frontier: Northwest spoils Concordia title sweep in CCC

The Concordia women suffered their second straight loss in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, this time to second-place Northwest University, allowing the Eagles to take the conference lead and ultimately win the regular season championship. Meanwhile, the race for the postseason came to a dramatic finish with Corban needing help from one-win Eastern Oregon and nearly had the final berth with Southern Oregon scored late for a draw. The Concordia men remained unbeaten and clinched a 13th regular season title in 15 years as three of the four playoff teams are set heading into the final weekend of play.

College Recap - NWC: Whitworth men claim title, women in virtual 3-way tie

The two conference leaders Whitworth and Linfield won their opening games Saturday but slipped up on Sunday, allowing Puget Sound to virtually pull even a point back with a game in hand. The final week will see a dramatic finish with the Pirates playing UPS Wednesday and Linfield Saturday. After suffering their first loss of the season in overtime Saturday, the Whitworth Pirates rebounded Sunday to claim their seventh NWC title in the last nine years – the eighth under 17-year coach Sean Bushey.

College Recap - WCC & PAC-12: Rough week for Gonzaga, WSU sweeps Oregon duo

The Gonzaga women wrapped up their final homestand with a split, blanking Loyola Marymount and falling narrowly to Pepperdine. The Bulldog men were winless on their trip to California. Washington State heads into the state derby on the heels of a pair of victories over their Oregon neighbors.

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

It came down to the final game in the WAC, but the Vandals snared the final berth in the conference tournament Sunday with a victory against New Mexico after a difficult loss Friday to one of the conference leaders. Seattle University, meanwhile, clinched their berth Friday before falling to the same Denver team on Sunday, entering the tournament with the fifth seed. Meanwhile in the MWC, San Diego State finished the conference campaign with a perfect 7-0-0 record with a victory while Boise State finished tied for second with New Mexico after a win over Nevada, but will be the third seed in the conference playoffs due to a loss to the Lobos during the season.

College Recap - GNAC: Simon Fraser win men's title; MSU-Billings women make playoffs

With Western Washington and Seattle Pacific running away with the top two seeds in the women's table, the weekend was primarily about determining the final two participants. Saint Martin’s draw on Friday put MSU-Billings into the playoffs and their draw Saturday allowed Western Oregon to claim the final spot. The two leaders squared off in a potential championship match preview and nearly played to a stalemate. With a commanding advantage in the table, Simon Fraser locked up a third consecutive men's conference title with a 7-1 drubbing of Saint Martin’s Thursday and a loss later that evening by Seattle Pacific, sending the Canadians to the NCAA tournament in their first year of eligibility after two years of provisional status.

LD Update: Rowdies survive for NASL crown; Toronto teams win CSL titles

Tampa Bay Rowdies celebrate NASL championship | Photo: NASL

In dramatic fashion, the second-seeded Tampa Bay Rowdies rallied and survived adversity in the NASL Championship series to down the defending champion Minnesota Stars in penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw through two legs and an extra 30 minutes of series overtime.

Banana & Pineapples: Freshman duo from Shadle lead Whitworth attack

Friends since sixth grade, Bokma and Pajimola finding success together | Game photos: Gerald Barnhart

“I was able to watch them with the club system and at Shadle Park, and they were phenomenal on the field. I was like ‘man, if we could get them to come to Whitworth, we’ll be blessed indeed.’”

Always together: Pajimola and Bokma

And head coach Jael Hagerott’s Pirates have been blessed many times over this season thanks to Tiara Pajimola and Hannah Bokma, a pair of “goofball” freshman from hometown Shadle Park High School.

Pajimola tallied in the team’s opening road trip to California and has scored at a rate of a goal for every two games to lead the team. Bokma, meanwhile, started the campaign at centerback for a depleted back line before moving back up top for the conference campaign, where she has caught fire of late, scoring the game-winning goal in the last three matches. Together, the two have scored in nine of the 12 conference contests to help lead the team to a league-best 9-1-2 record matched only by Linfield.

LD Update: NASL & CSL Finals Saturday; USL Pro coaching news; USL deal in limbo after Umbro sale

Among the headlines Wednesday was the announcement from Nike that it has reached an agreement to sell Umbro to Iconix Brand Group, Inc. for $225 million, a deal expected to be finalized by the end of the year. Up in the air from the deal, however, is the future of the sponsorship agreement with United Soccer Leagues, the former longtime property of Umbro, which was purchased by Nike in 2008. Nike subsequently sold USL in 2009 amidst much controversy that, in part, precipitated the acrimonious separation of USL First Division team owners into the NASL and what is now USL Pro. A sponsorship deal, featuring the Umbro brand, between Nike and USL was included among the terms of the sale of USL to NuRock Soccer Holdings, LLC. In regards to the future of the sponsorship arrangement and whether it would continue on with Nike, Umbro or neither, USL President Tim Holt told INWsoccernews USL management was "still in the process of working through the details of this with Umbro/Nike." As of now, Umbro remains among the branding on USLsoccer.com.

Week 10 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

They say defense wins championships. It was certainly the theme this week with defensive performances being key this weekend as teams make the final push for the postseason.  For games through Sunday, October 21.

College Recap - CCC & Frontier: Lone shot of game stuns NAIA No. 1 Concordia

In the CCC, the nation's top-ranked Concordia women suffered a stunning overtime defeat at the hands of Northwest Christian on their lone shot of the match and the College of Idaho men and women had mixed results. The Great Falls men and women had busy weeks with a trip to California followed by important Frontier Conference contests with Westminster.

College Recap - NWC: Four wins for Whitworth; Linfield tops UPS-W

Whitworth remained in the hunt for a double with the women winning a pair of one-goal decisions on the weekend and the men posting big victories that allowed them to get reserve players on the field. Meanwhile, Linfield topped Puget Sound to reduce the one-loss contingent on the women's side to just two teams and Pacific Lutheran was surprised by visiting Linfield, giving the Pirates more breathing room. 

College Recap - GNAC: Lindsay lights it up for Seattle Pacific; MSUB blanks Simon Fraser

Spokane's Megan Lindsay caught fire, scoring a pair of braces on the weekend to guide Seattle Pacific to a pair of victories to keep them in the race for the regular season title with Western Washington and their record-holding goalkeeper Jamie Arthurs (Richland, WA). On the men's side, MSU-Billings had quite the weekend, downing Western Washington in overtime and taking Division II scoring leaders Simon Fraser all the way in a scoreless stalemate.

College Recap - WCC & PAC-12: Tough trips west for Gonzaga, Washington State

While the Gonzaga men were idle with the rest of the conference, the lady Zags as well as the Washington State women faced two tough trips to the coast, each facing a pair of nationally ranked opponents. The Cougars nearly pulled off an upset against second-ranked Stanford, but both sides returned home without a point. 

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. 

College Recap - Big Sky: Idaho State, Montana share title with Portland State

Idaho State and Montana advanced to Big Sky tournament, could face each other for title | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The conference campaign wrapped up with two of the three INW teams, Idaho State and Montana, earning a share of the Big Sky Conference regular season championship along with Portland State at 6-2-1. The Bengals of ISU, picked to finish seventh in the preseason coaches poll, finished atop the tiebreaker scenarios to earn the right to host the postseason tournament in Pocatello November 2-4.

Weber State finished fourth to round out the field, holding off contender Northern Colorado with a draw in their head-to-head showdown for the final spot Saturday.

Whitworth Pirates down George Fox in doubleheader, 2-1 and 6-0

Reserves celebrate final strike; Pajimola & Grow after opener; French enjoys brace | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

Much like the day before, the Whitworth Pirates controlled the play in both contests Sunday. Despite another dominant performance, the ladies again earned a narrow one-goal decision over George Fox with a 2-1 victory on a third straight winner from Hannah Bokma while the men cruised to a big lead, and for the second consecutive day finished the match off with reserves on the field as they battered the Bruins in a 6-0 romp.

LD Update: Minnesota takes 2-0 lead in NASL Championship

After a season in which they struggled against Tampa Bay, the Minnesota Stars yet again picked up a win in the postseason, snaring a two-goal lead halfway through the NASL championship series.

Amani Walker broke a stalemate highlighted by outstanding play of both goalkeepers in the 67th minute when he finally beat Jeff Attinella with a one-timer off a square ball from Simone Bracalello that blazed its way in just under the crossbar.

The Stars picked up what could be a crucial insurance tally in stoppage time when Connor Tobin redirected a Bracalello cross toward goal that Martin Nunez guided over the line. - MORE

USL News: It is being reported that Orlando City's John Rooney has been offered a deal with Barnsley... Former USL-2 star Herculez Gomez was featured in the USMNT pregame by Julie Foudy (video)... The Vancouver Whitecaps Residency PDL team has appointed Gordon Forrest as the team's head coach. 

Whitworth Pirates sweep Pacific-U in doubleheader, stay in title hunts

Bokma tackled after winner; French lifted in celebration of goal | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Whitworth women (8-1-2) posted another dramatic one-goal decision, topping the visiting Pacific University Boxers on a Hannah Bokma header in overtime while the men (11-0-3) got off to a quick start and held on for a 3-1 victory on a cold and blustery afternoon Saturday with goals from three different players.

The ladies remain part of a trio with Linfield and the University of Puget Sound that have only one loss in conference play heading into the final few games of the season. The men remain alone in first with Pacific Lutheran lurking with striking distance in second.

IT'S OFFICIAL: Idaho Vandal soccer headed to Big Sky in 2014-15

In an announcement that has been expected for a few months, the University of Idaho confirmed Friday that it has officially accepted an invitation from and will join the Big Sky Conference for non-football athletics, beginning with the 2014-15 season.

LD Update: NASL Championship Preview; NASL MVP; MISL signings

The defending NASL champion Minnesota Stars are on the cusp of repeating, duplicating last year's surprise run from the position as the sixth and final seed to winners of the Soccer Bowl. Standing in the way are the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who have will be looking to avenge last year's surprising postseason defeat after an unbeaten season series against the Stars.

The Rowdies come into the two-game series with a  4-1-3 advantage in the regular season, but in the lone postseason meeting the Stars were victorious, 1-0, in the opening round contest a year ago courtesy of a deflected free kick from Luke Mulholland in the 27th minute.

Time has a way of changing things though.

Week 9 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

Goalkeepers did well again this week, but picking up the Player of the Week honors was a defender who scored from midfield and a striker that dominated on the road. For games through Sunday, October 14.

INW Collegiate Recap - CCC & Frontier: Yotes struggle, Westminster prevails vs RMC

 It was a tough week for the College of Idaho. The Coyote women dropped a narrow one-goal decision to unbeaten Concordia before posting a big win, but the men suffered a pair on 1-0 defeats. In the Frontier Conference, Westminster got a good split with Rocky Mountain, winning men's contest and playing to a draw in the women's.

INW Collegiate Recap - NWC: Whitworth teams unbeaten on trip west

Though they only scored one goal each, the Whitworth Pirates were unbeaten on the weekend. At Puget Sound Saturday the men played to another scoreless draw while the women, who played to a 1-1 draw at home with Whitman Wednesday, took the day off with no referees to officiate the match. On Sunday both sides snared 1-0 victories at Pacific Lutheran.

INW Collegiate Recap - GNAC: Stalemate for Northwest Nazarene, Seattle Pacific men

MSU-Billings remains in the top three on the women's side after a split on the weekend that included a 3-0 loss to second-place Seattle Pacific, who are led by Megan Lindsay (Spokane, WA). Meanwhile, Jamie Arthurs (Richland, WA) continues to dominate, keeping Western Washington in first. On the men's side, the trio of Simon Fraser, unbeaten Northwest Nazarene and Seattle Pacific are running away from the pack. NNU and SPU battled to a draw.

LD Update: Minnesota, Tampa Bay reach NASL Final; CSL playoffs begin

For the second consecutive year, the bottom-seed (6) Minnesota Stars eliminated the regular season champions to advance to the North American Soccer League's championship series. This time the reigning league title holders knocked off the expansion San Antonio Scorpions for the right to defend their title over the next two weekends against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The second-seeded side from Florida played a wild six-goal draw at home, advancing to the final series courtesy of their road victory in the first leg against the Carolina RailHawks, the side Minnesota dumped from the postseason at the same point a year ago.

INW Collegiate Recap - WCC & Pac-12: GU ladies alter history with Portland; WSU drubs USC

Though they did not get a win this weekend, the Gonzaga women made a little history, registering their first-ever point against Portland after losing all 20 previous contests between the two sides. The men, meanwhile, fell at home to Saint Mary's on narrowly on the road to Santa Clara. Washington State dominated USC, 4-0, to remain in the top half of the conference table.  

INW Collegiate Recap - MWC & WAC: Boise State wins two on the road; Vandals split

The two Idaho schools performed well, picking up wins in three of their four matches. Despite being on the road, Boise State crawled out of their winless hole to put themselves in the picture for the Mountain West playoffs in a wide open table. The Idaho Vandals, meanwhile, earned their first conference win against mid-table San Jose State before falling to league-leading Utah State in a pair of home contests.

INW Collegiate Recap - Big Sky: Montana and Idaho State show strength on road

It was a good weekend for the road teams as the visiting teams went 6-1-2 away from home. Montana dominated, with two goals and an assist from Erin Craig, and Idaho State picked up a pair of victories on the west coast at Portland State and Sacramento State, becoming the first team in the conference to win consecutive games on the road.

CC Spokane Bigfoot stomp on Bellevue, 4-1 and 3-0

A pair of three-goal victories gave the Bigfoot plenty to celebrate | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Sasquatch looked more like Swiftfoot Saturday afternoon as they flew past the visiting Bellevue College Bulldogs at the Spokane Falls CC Stadium. After trailing from an early strike, the ladies rebounded with three quick goals in the second half en route to a 4-1 victory while the men used an early goal from midfield two minutes in to take command in a 3-0 win.

LD Update: Ottawa stadium approval; MISL signings; USL trials set

A wide variety of items for the debut on INWsoccernews of the Lower Division Update, one of the leading features of the sister-site The Soccer Barn, which is being phased out. The LD Update is a regular feature recapping the news from around North America regarding lower division professional soccer, the elite national amateur leagues and the professional indoor game.

Montana roars past Eastern Washington 4-0

Wheeler (L) created the first of two scored by Craig (middle, R) | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

Erin Craig led a dominant performance from the Montana Grizzlies Friday afternoon as the visitors rolled to a 4-0 victory against the Eagles, who were playing their home finale for the season at Eastern Washington University.

Gonzaga women nab first-ever point versus Portland in 1-1 draw

Luke (18) and Cameli (2) exchanged late strikes in dramatic contest Thursday | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

Zero for 20. That was the past the ladies of Gonzaga took into Thursday’s contest with the storied University of Portland Pilots. And after Kaila Cameli’s 70th minute strike on a breakaway put the visitors on top in what had been an even game, it looked like the streak would continue. But with eight minutes left, freshman Lauren Luke altered history for the Bulldogs.

Week 8 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

It was quite a week for goalkeepers on the women’s side with four players making the list with standout performances, including one setting a career school and conference record and another impressing in her debut. For games through Sunday, October 7.

No winner in Whitman-Whitworth women’s showdown

Merlino (L) finally found the goal for Whitman, who cut off the Pirates all game | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

Twenty-seven seconds. The Whitworth women found a goal against the run of play in the second half of a stalemate with Whitman, but a lapse immediately after the Tiara Pajimola strike allowed the visitors to finally find the back of the net after outshooting the Pirates the entire game by a count of 23-7 as they earned a 1-1 draw in Spokane.

INW Collegiate Recap: Lower division scan of GNAC, NWC, CCC & Frontier

Around the lower levels of the college game, close contests seemed to be the theme of the week, particularly in the Northwest Conference where six of the eight women's matches went to extra time. The Whitworth women suffered their first conference loss in one of the overtime contest while on the men's side the Pirates kept their unbeaten status intact with an overtime winner. Other highlights on the weekend featured Carroll College earning a scoreless draw against 10th-ranked CSU-San Marcos only to be downed for the first time by conference foe Westminster two days later.

INW Collegiate Recap: Close contests for WSU, Gonzaga in PAC-12, WCC

It was a week of close contests in the West Coast Conference. Six of the seven matches were decided by one goal, including three that finished in overtime. Gonzaga came up on the short side of one overtime match, falling at Loyola Marymount, and was on the wrong side of the game decided by two goals, dropping its match in San Diego. Two games into the conference portion of the campaign, only Santa Clara and Portland remain unbeaten.

The women’s side of the WCC was just as competitive over the weekend with all four conference games and a non-conference contest being decided by a goal or less, including the overtime loss Gonzaga suffered at home versus Saint Mary’s. Portland, which has yet to open conference play, fell narrowly to 10th-ranked San Diego State of the MWC.

In the Pac-12, A goal directly off a corner kick was the only thing keeping Washington State from two shutout performances on the weekend at home against the two schools from Arizona. The loss to the Sun Devils keeps the Cougars mid-table with Stanford, UCLA and California leaping out to commanding leads just five games into the conference campaign.

INW Collegiate Recap: Idaho, Boise State fall in WAC & MWC play

Early into the conference campaign Utah State and Seattle are among the four unbeaten teams and sit atop the WAC table. The Idaho Vandals, however, are at the other end of things coming off a big loss in Seattle over the weekend, leaving them without a conference win through three games. Though the conference campaign is only two games in, Boise State finds itself at the bottom of the table along with Air Force, which has also lost both games. San Diego State, whom the Broncos nearly posted a positive result with this weekend, is the conferences only ranked side and at 11-1-1 overall shoulders above its peers, which include three other unbeaten in conference play.

INW Collegiate Recap: Eastern Washington, Montana in hunt in wide open conference

A rough weekend on the road for Northern Colorado, who narrowly fell in Montana and finished scoreless at Eastern Washington, opened the door for Portland State and Sacramento State, who each posted a big win and a scoreless draw on the road to create a group of three at the top of the conference table with one loss on the season. The conference, though, is still wide open as Northern Arizona still only has one loss, and four others have only suffered two defeats. 

Around the Rankings – October 2

DI MEN – NSCAA: None… Soccer America: None... TopDrawSoccer: Oregon State remains at 26… Washington up three spots to 29.
DI WOMEN – NSCAA: Oregon State dropped from 23 back to the RV list… Portland remained on the RV list… Soccer America: None... TopDrawSoccer: Oregon State remains at 25… Portland down two spots to 26… Washington up two spots to 36.

DII MEN – NSCAA: Seattle Pacific drops to the second tier, dropping nine spots to 12, for the first time since the preseason poll.
DII WOMEN – NSCAA: MSU-Billings returned to the RV list after sitting at 23 last week.

DIII MEN – NSCAA: Whitworth remains at 11 for third straight week… Puget Sound drops from 21 to RV list… D3Soccer.com: Whitworth moves up one spot to 11… Puget Sound remains on RV list
DIII WOMEN – NSCAA: Puget Sound dropped off the RV list… D3Soccer.com: Linfield remains on the RV list… Puget Sound drops off the RV list

NAIA MEN – Poll: Concordia moves up four spots to 21… Rocky Mountain remains on RV list. MRPI: Next edition end of month.
NAIA WOMEN – Poll: Concordia remains in the top spot for fourth week… Carroll moves up two spots to 22… Rocky Mountain and Southern Oregon remain on RV list… MRPI: Next edition end of month.

The Polls:  NSCAA  |   Soccer America M & W  |  Top Drawer Soccer M & W  |  D3soccer.com

 

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Week 7 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men & Women

For games through Sunday, September 30. Vote for the men’s and women’s Player of the Week on the INW Facebook page. If you Like the INW page, the vote counts double. Deadline is Thursday, 1:00 pm PT.

INW Collegiate Recap: Round-up of Saturday and Sunday action

A recap from action featuring Inland Northwest schools and their conferences for play on Saturday and Sunday. It was a great weekend for the lower division schools as Whitworth's men and women went unbeaten as well as Northwest Nazarene's two teams.

Lone tally gives Whitworth women win; men’s match with Puget Sound finishes scoreless

Only one goal separated the two schools in a doubleheader of tight-knit action - Photos: Gerald Barnhart

It was a difficult weekend task for the Whitworth Pirates with the opposition for both teams coming in with two combined losses between the four sides prior to their matches. In the end, the Pirates finished the weekend unbeaten as each side posted a win and a draw. On Sunday, the women took a 1-0 decision against the visiting Loggers while the men battled to a scoreless stalemate.

Whitworth Pirates remain unbeaten after PLU doubleheader

Pajimola celebrates opener, Ubben buried after winner and PLU enjoys short-lived lead | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

In a dramatic afternoon, the visiting Pacific Lutheran University women equalized twice for a 2-2 draw and the PLU men’s team rallied to take the lead in the second half only to see the Pirates come back with two unanswered strikes for the 3-2 win in a showdown of two of the Northwest Conference’s three 4-0-0 teams.

INW Collegiate Recap: Midweek and Friday action

A recap of the matches midweek and Friday for the schools around the Inland Northwest and their conference foes...

Conference Play Preview – West Coast Conference

Gonzaga is the lone INW team in the WCC. The men’s team kicked off their conference campaign just three days after the Hensor/Zaher Nike Classic at Oregon State, falling at nearby Portland Wednesday, 4-1.

Though much of the conference begins gradually on the women’s side, the Bulldogs kick off one of the latest starting conference campaigns, playing host to Saint Mary’s College October 7.

Conference Play Preview – Mountain West Conference

The lone INW team, Boise State, kicks off the conference portion of their season September 28 on the road against New Mexico.  

Conference Play Preview – Western Athletic Conference

The lone INW team, University of Idaho, kicks off its final season in the WAC before an expected move to the Big Sky on the road against Texas State September 28 followed by a match two days later against Texas-San Antonio.

Walla Walla picks up four points in Spokane doubleheader

Walla Walla men picked up a win while the Spokane defense stayed strong against champs - Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Bigfoot of CC Spokane women maintained their unbeaten status and kept the top spot in the NWAACC East Division with a 1-1 draw Wednesday at Spokane Falls, but the Walla Walla CC Warriors were the better school on the day by also picking up a 2-1 victory in the men’s match.

Around the Rankings – September 25

DI MEN – NSCAA: Washington dropped out of the poll… TopDrawSoccer: Oregon State up eight spots to 26… Washington down one spot to 32
DI WOMEN – NSCAA: Washington and Washington State dropped out of the poll… Oregon State up one to 23… Portland slides from 15 to RV… Soccer America: Oregon State jumps 13 spots to 12… Portland falls eight spots to 22… TopDrawSoccer: Oregon State dropped four spots to 25… Portland down one spot to 24… Washington down five spots to 38… Idaho State falls out of the ranking.

Bigfoot host powerhouse Walla Walla Wednesday at the Falls

The powerhouses of the region are headed to Spokane Wednesday as the reigning nine-time NWAACC East Region champion Walla Walla Community College visit to play the unbeaten ladies of the Community Colleges of Spokane at Spokane Falls CC in a doubleheader with the men.

The Spokane women come into the match leading the division with a perfect 4-0-0 record and are one of three teams in the 23-team league with an unbeaten record on the young season and Walla Walla, which has won the league championship the past three years and reached the league final the past seven seasons, is in second at 3-1-0.

Fresh start for young Mountaineers as Eastern Oregon opens CCC play this weekend

It has been a difficult and sometimes heartbreaking non-conference start to the season for the Eastern Oregon Mountaineers, a team with a first-year coach and a roster that features only one senior. On Friday they look to forget their 0-7 record when they open their Cascade Collegiate Conference schedule on the road versus Corban in Salem.

Week 6 Collegiate INW Best XI – Women

For games through Sunday, September 23. Vote for the Player of the Week on the INW Facebook page. If you Like the INW page, the vote counts double. Deadline is Wednesday, 8:00 pm PT.

Week 6 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men

For games through Sunday, September 23. Vote for the Player of the Week on the INW Facebook page. If you Like the INW page, the vote counts double. Deadline is Wednesday, 8:00 pm PT.

INW Collegiate Sunday Night Recap: Spokane-area schools finish weekend in fine fashion

An eventful weekend wrapped up Sunday with Whitworth posting a pair of shutout victories, Eastern Washington rallying to topple Idaho State and Boise State getting its first road victory of the season. The Gonzaga men completed their weekend in Corvallis with a thrilling overtime contest that featured a memorable finish that those in attendance will likely never forget.

Eastern Washington rebounds for 2-1 win against Idaho State

Bengals celebrate record-setting goal, but Black's strike proved to be the winner | Photos: Gerald Barnhart (gallery)

In a showdown of two teams coming off close-fought, but disappointing results in their Big Sky Conference openers Friday, Eastern Washington University bounced back well in the game and on the weekend with a come-from-behind victory against visiting Idaho State University. A goal and assist from Cassie Black cancelled out a Bengal lead on a strike from Amanda Ellsworth less than a minute in.

INW Collegiate Saturday Night Recap: Whitworth sweeps, MSU-Billings stings opponents

While the majority of Division I schools were idle for the day, the lower divisions of the collegiate ranks saw plenty of action, including a full slate in the DIII Northwest Conference, which saw Whitworth claim a pair of 1-0 victories at George Fox. Meanwhile, in DII action MSU-Billings did well on the day with the women getting yet another win and the men earning a draw against second-ranked Seattle Pacific.

INW Collegiate Friday Night Recap: Big results for Idaho schools, Zags

A recap of action for schools and their conferences around the Inland Northwest on Friday. The round-up is highlighted by some surprise results posted by the Idaho State and College of Idaho women's teams, a historic victory for the University of Idaho women and a big win from the Gonzaga men.

INW Collegiate Recap 9-21: Ranked teams held to scoreless draws

Two Inland Northwest schools held their nationally-ranked opponents to scoreless draws in midweek action. The ladies of Washington State netted the big result on the road versus #2 UCLA while Northwest Nazarene's men got the stalemate result at home against the second division's #2 Seattle Pacific University.

Conference Play Preview - Big Sky Conference

INW teams Montana, Idaho State and Eastern Washington head into conference play Sept 21 with the Grizzlies and Bengals squaring off in the opener and the Eagles playing host to Weber State. Two days later Idaho State visits EWU and Montana hosts Weber State.

Conference Play Preview – Pac-12 Conference

WOMEN - The Washington State women are the lone INW team in the Pac-12 for men or women. The Cougars kick off their conference campaign September 20 on the road against UCLA with a quick non-conference match the following Wednesday at Santa Clara before finishing out the conference slate.

Week 5 Collegiate INW Best XI – Women

For games through Sunday, September 16. Next week a new feature will debut, giving you an opportunity to select the Players of the Week via Facebook.

INWsoccernews.com WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

F - Cassie Black (Battle Ground, WA) – Eastern Washington :: It was difficult to choose over Montignani’s pair of hat-tricks, but Black was crucial against two quality opponents. She struck for a goal and an assist as the Eagles defeated the University of Idaho Friday and tallied the game-winner in a 2-1 victory against the University of Hawaii Sunday.

Week 5 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men

For games through Sunday, September 16. Next week a new feature will debut, giving you an opportunity to select the Players of the Week via Facebook.

INWsoccernews.com MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

D – Will Wren (Evans, GA) – Whitworth University :: Three goals and two shutouts in leading the Pirates to a 2-0 victory against Linfield and a 1-0 win against Willamette. He scored his first career goals off of a free kick and a corner in the first win Saturday. In a close-fought game in which the Whitworth defense allowed few chances, he came forward late and proved he can also score in the run of play as well, finding the winner on a great play late in the match.

Around the Rankings - September 18

 A number of Inland Northwest teams highlight the national rankings for the various collegiate divisions. Here is a look around at the three main polls/rankings from the NSCAA, Soccer America, D3soccer.com and Top Drawer Soccer, which incorporates its projection of the tournament fields into its ranking.

Frontier Recap: RMC sweeps Great Falls, Carroll wins in Cali

In the Frontier Conference, Rocky Mountain College and the University of Great Falls squared off in conference play with the host Battlin' Bears getting a sweep of the Argonauts. RMC dominated in the women's match to the tune of a 5-1 victory while the men's team posted a 2-0 shutout of the 22nd-ranked side, which will likely push RMC up from the votes received list.

Division I Weekend Recap: INW schools and their conferences

The Eastern Washington women may have found the greatest success for teams around the region this week as the Division I schools continue their non-conference portions of the season. Perhaps, however, it was an even bigger week for players hailing from Boise as many of the Idaho natives played key roles in their matches. Here is a look around at the various Inland Northwest schools in top flight and their respective conferences for the past week.

Cascade Recap: Men open conference play with home sweep

It was a rough week for the road teams on the men's side as they were swept over the course of six games. The ladies, meanwhile, played a number of ranked opponents in continued non-conference play.

GNAC Recap: MSUB Lady Yellowjackets now 6-0-0

After impressive unbeaten starts to their seasons, the Montana State-Billings duo saw the opening of conference play take them in opposite directions with the lady Yellowjackets posting a pair of wins while the men dropped both matches.

Northwest Nazarene, meanwhile, was one of three teams in the conference to go unbeaten on the week with a win and a draw. The ladies team lost both matches while Central Washington split its two opening matches.

Repeat performances as Whitworth posts pair of shutouts against Willamette

Wren and Sterk celebrate their game-winning goals | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Whitworth women have put the Northwest Conference on notice that the pair of Amy Sterk and Tiara Pajimola are a difficult duo to contend with. And while scoring for the 16th-ranked men’s side may be hard to come by, a bend-but-don’t-break defense is proving to be difficult to crack – something the ladies have also employed to start the conference campaign.

It was a day of déjà vu Sunday as the scoring summaries were nearly identical from the day before, only with the Willamette University Bearcats the victims. Sterk and Pajimola once again scored, in the same order but in the first half this time, and the lone scorer for the men was left back Will Wren, who had to settle for just one, a late game-winner, after tallying the first two of his career 24 hours earlier as the Pirates posted 2-0 and 1-0 victories, respectively.

Whitworth sinks visitors Lewis & Clark, Linfield in pair of 2-0 wins

Amy Sterk and Will Wren dominated the day for Whitworth in doubleheader | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Pirates picked up where they left off at home last weekend at home. The two sides dominated from start to finish to post a pair of 2-0 shutout victories with the ladies downing the Lewis & Clark Pioneers and the men blanking the Linfield Wildcats. Amy Sterk and Will Wren, who was about to lose his freedom to come forward from his left back position, led the way with key performances in the two wins.

The ladies came off a near-upset of a ranked opponent last week to get a win in their conference opener on the road Wednesday, 1-0 at Whitman, and the men were following up their 1-0 victory over seventh-ranked Wheaton.

Eastern Washington flies by Idaho in second half for 2-0 win

Black (L) thrilled with opening strike, Small (C) challenges & Eagles celebrate second goal | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

It has been a slow and difficult start to the season for Eastern Washington University as it struggled to find a solution to a depleted midfield, but the Eagles now find themselves on a roll with one more non-conference match before Big Sky action kicks off. On Friday they downed potential future conference rival Idaho, 2-0, behind a goal and an assist from Cassie Black.

Coming off their first-ever victory against Boise State, 3-1, a week ago in Portland, the Eagles downed another side from Idaho with a two-goal second half performance.

Conference Play Preview – Cascade Collegiate Conference - NAIA

The College of Idaho is the lone INW team in the CCC for men while C of I’s women’s program is joined by Eastern Oregon. The Coyotes men’s team kicks off the Cascade campaign Friday on the road against Evergreen in Olympia, Wash. followed by their second match against Northwest University in nearby Kirkland Saturday. 

The Lady Yotes begin their conference slate on the road September 28 against Northwest Christian in Eugene, Ore. followed by a visit to Salem to play Corban the next day.

Conference Play Preview - Northwest Conference - DIII

Conference play kicks off this weekend for the men and women as each team plays twice. The lone INW school, Whitworth, will be at home for all four matches. The men will host Linfield Saturday and Willamette Sunday while the women will play host to Lewis & Clark and Willamette, respectively. The two doubleheaders will feature the women playing at noon and the men at 2:30.

Conference Play Preview – Great Northwest Conference - DII

Conference play kicked off Thursday evening for both the men’s and women’s schedules.

On the men’s side, the INW schools Northwest Nazarene and MSU-Billings kicked things off on the road. The Crusaders played to a scoreless draw at Western Washington in Bellingham while the Yellowjackets fell north of the border to Simon Fraser, 2-0.

It was the opposite for the women as the Lady Jackets won 2-1 at home against Seattle Pacific and Northwest Nazarene was blanked at home by Central Washington, 3-0.

Conference Play Preview – Frontier Conference - NAIA

With the conference featuring only three men’s teams and four on the women’s side, the conference matches are spread out among a number of addition non-league games. One conference meeting has already occurred for both with another pair set for Friday when Rocky Mountain College plays host to Great Falls in a doubleheader featuring the two INW schools that play men’s and women’s soccer. Montana-based Carroll College, which has only women’s soccer, plays its first conference match September 26 at home against Great Falls.

Last year, the Frontier’s three men’s teams played as unaffiliated teams in the NAIA with four other schools, but this year will be paired up with the four teams of the Tran-South Athletic Conference. The women’s foursome were paired up with the California Pacific Conference’s four teams a year ago, but are now paired with the Tran-South Athletic Conference’s three teams.

New field stars as opener goes scoreless for Spokane CC

Construction, a new field and some soccer on display at Spokane Falls CC | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

Though the facility continues to be under renovation, the Community Colleges of Spokane kicked off the home slate of their schedule Wednesday evening at Spokane Falls CC with the debut of the new turf field, playing visiting Edmonds CC to a scoreless draw.

It was a game of close calls and frustration as the Sasquatch had near misses minutes into each half and were inches away from finding a winner with 16 minutes left in the game on a spectacular series.

Week 4 Collegiate INW Best XI – Women

For games through Sunday, September 9.

INWsoccernews.com WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

F - Cassie Black (Battle Ground, WA) – Eastern Washington – The sophomore striker scored two unassisted goals to lead the school to its first-ever victory against Boise State, defeating the Broncos, 3-1, at Portland State’s Viking Classic. She struck for the opener 20 minutes and capped the victory with three seconds remaining. 

Week 4 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men

For games through Sunday, September 9. It was a light week in the schedule, giving the few teams in action the benefit of a few extra players on the list.

INWsoccernews.com MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

F – Oliver Gore (Stafford, England) – Rocky Mountain College – Playing on the road, Gore provided two equalizers in the contest. He answered University of Mary’s opening strike in the 15 minute a less than two minutes later as RMC would go on to lead 2-1 at the intermission. Mary, however, rallied themselves to reclaim the advantage with two strikes in the first 11 minutes of the second half, forcing Gore to level terms again with eight minutes left for the 3-3 draw.

Around the Rankings

A number of Inland Northwest teams highlight the national rankings for the various collegiate divisions. Here is a look around at the three main polls/rankings from the NSCAA, Soccer America and Top Drawer Soccer, which incorporates its projection of the tournament fields into its ranking.

Weekend INW Collegiate Round-Up

Plenty of action featuring teams from around the Inland Northwest and players native to the region. Here's a round-up of the weekend's action not previously covered on the site this weekend.

Corban, Carroll win on final night of Red Lion Challenge soccer event

Emily Tsugawa (L) and Katelyn Weaver (C) scored for Corban | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

While the slate of other sports events continues for the Red Lion Challenge between the NAIA’s Cascade Collegiate Conference and Frontier Conference, the soccer portion of the first-year series based in Spokane came to a close Saturday evening with Corban University and #23 Carroll College posting fairly easy victories in women’s soccer against the University of Great Falls and Eastern Oregon University.

Corban’s victory proved to be the only one on behalf of the CCC in eight men’s and women’s matches as the Frontier’s Montana contingent dominated in the win column.

Gonzaga falls in fourth straight one-goal contest to Seattle U

Redhawks celebrate winning strike by Verdoia (24) | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

Two days after a narrow 1-0 loss to the nationally-ranked (Soccer America) University of Washington, the Bulldogs came right at Seattle University with a fantastic wide open chance two minutes in the match, but the result proved to be an omen of what was to come as they were edged in overtime by the visitors.

#24 Whitworth upsets #7 Wheaton in dramatic doubleheader

Whitworth goal scorers Pajimola (L) and Chavez (R) | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

It was a thrilling day at the Whitworth Soccer Classic. The winless women’s team nearly rallied for an upset draw against #19 Augustana before a controversial penalty in overtime spoiled the outcome in a 2-1 decision. Then the unbeaten men’s side nabbed a narrow 1-0 victory against Wheaton in a hard-fought contest.

Friday Collegiate Round-up: Montana schools unbeaten; Zags, Eagles and Idaho schools fall

Other than the Whitworth men winning in their home opener, the only positive news around the region was for the schools from Montana, ranging from a sweep at the women’s Red Lion Challenge between the Cascade and Frontier NAIA conferences to the University of Montana’s 1-0 road win and an away draw for Rocky Mountain.

Montana schools post comeback wins on first night of women’s Red Lion Challenge

Sullivan opened the scoring on a dramatic night | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The 23rd-ranked Carroll College ladies rallied for a 2-1 victory in a three-goal first half against Corban College on the opening night of the two-day Red Lion Challenge at the Dwight Merkel Sports complex in Spokane, but it was the second half of the doubleheader that stole the spotlight as Great Falls came back from two down with three goals in the final 25 minutes to edge Eastern Oregon in the final minute of play.

Split for Whitworth at Soccer Classic home openers

The Whitworth defense held strong again with Ubben (center) scoring winner | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The Whitworth women opened their home schedule with a 4-0 loss to the nation’s fourth-ranked Wheaton College, but things picked up in the afternoon with the 23rd-ranked men’s team earning a 2-1 victory against Corban.

Week 3 Collegiate INW Best XI – Women

For games through the Labor Day holiday September 3.

INWsoccernews.com WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

M – Kasey Rubosky (Spokane, WA) – Gonzaga – Scored the two 1-0 game-winning goals in trip to Tennessee to play Austin Peay and Vanderbilt. In the opening game Friday against Austin Peay a long ball out of the back from a Cricket Harber free kick came to Emma Dolcetti, who headed back across the six to Rubusky in the ninth minute of the game. The team went on to outshoot the hosts 14-8. Rubosky got a little lucky for the second winner Sunday, scoring again in the first half by sending her shot off a Tori Lee free kick in off the back of a defender.

Week 3 Collegiate INW Best XI – Men

For games through the Labor Day holiday September 3.

INWsoccernews.com MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

M - Nick Heffernan – Rocky Mountain – In their second game of the road trip to the Puget Sound, Heffernan let loose with a goal and four assists in a 6-3 win at Evergreen. He scored the second goal in the 20th minute and set up Oliver Gore a minute later. He set up Brandon Loeffler’s second goal of the game in the 26 for what proved to be the winner. He went on to provide help on the two second half goals in the 52nd and 61st.   

Holiday action round-up; Northwest Nazarene recaps

It was a busy holiday Monday for Montana schools Rocky Mountain College and Great Falls, as well as  Northwest Nazarane. Also in action Monday was Spokane Shine player Stacy Hamer, who had two goals for Southern Oregon.

INW player highlights around the nation; Frontier results

The following is a recap, mostly highlights, of how players from around the Inland Northwest  did this weekend around the nation outside the region along with recaps for Montana schools MSU-Billings, Rocky Mountain College and the University of Great Falls.

Gonzaga women complete sweep in Tennessee; Whitworth, EWU, WSU recaps

Aside from the Gonzaga men playing host to the Gonzaga Nike Classic, the remaining schools around the east side of Washington were on the road. The Zag ladies won their second on the road in Tennessee while Washington State and Eastern Washington suffered losses, falling in California to nationally-ranked Duke and at Wyoming, respectively. The Whitworth men picked up a win in Minnesota while the ladies lost to nationally-ranked California Lutheran.

INW players lead No. 2 Concordia to sweep of ranked opponents

The Concordia University women played host to three other nationally ranked schools from around the country this weekend in Portland in the Cavalier Cup, earning shutout victories in their two matches against No. 12 Hastings (Nebraska) and No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Kentucky) while No. 4 Embry-Riddle (Florida) split their two contests against the same opposition.

Montana finishes best at Boise State's Bronco Invitational

The University of Montana made it a sweep of Idaho sides at the Bronco Invitational in Boise, posting a 3-2 overtime victory against the University of Idaho Sunday in which the Grizzlies equalized twice after falling behind. In the other half of the Bronco Invitational, the Idaho State Bengals were unable to get a sweep of their two state rivals, falling 3-2 in overtime to the hosts.

No. 4 Gauchos blank Gonzaga, 3-0; Oregon State cruises to 6-0 win

Big shutout wins Sunday for UCSB and Oregon State at Gonzaga Nike Classic | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

The fourth-ranked UC Santa Barbara Gauchos were tested Friday by Oregon State and again Sunday by host Gonzaga before breaking free in the final 10 minutes to finish 3-0 winners. A Nic Ryan strike a half-hour in kept the Gauchos in command before two strikes in the final 10 minutes from Achille Campion and Goffin Boyoko secured the victory.

MSU-Billings win over ranked side leads Montana & Idaho Friday INW college recap

Fifth career shutout for Hoon as Montana ends three-game losing streak | Photo: Gerald Barnhart

It was all good news on Friday for the state of Montana, starting with an upset victory over a nationally ranked school by MSU-Billings. The University of Montana picked up a road win over Bronco Invitational host Boise State as well and Rocky Mountain College's two teams swept with a pair of 2-1 wins against Trinity Lutheran. In a battle for state pride, Idaho State blanked Idaho.

Spokane-area collegiate recap - Aug 31

The Whitworth women were the lone Spokane area side that fell Friday evening as everyone but the Gonzaga men were on the road. The Whitworth men and the Eastern Washington women both earned scoreless draws on the road while the ladies of Gonzaga posted 1-0 road victory in Tennessee and the Washington State women nabbed a 2-1 win in Los Angeles.

Zags roll past Manhattan; Oregon State surprises No. 4 UCSB

Ludwigs (L) and Bevans (R) tallied for Gonzaga, Beavers get upset draw against Gauchos | Photos: Gerald Barnhart

After a surprising Gonzaga Nike Classic opener in which Oregon State played nationally ranked (Soccer America 4, NSCAA 9) UC-Santa Barbara to a 2-2 draw, the Gonzaga men had little trouble dispatching Manhattan Friday afternoon, pulling away with two second half goals in a 3-0 victory.

INW Best XI for Week 2 - Women

INW WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

F - Rachel Strawn – Idaho State – The senior striker scored more goals in a 4-0 victory against Minot State giver her five on the season after coming into the campaign with six total in her first three years with the Bengals. The Utah native scored the opening, and game-winning, goal 12 minutes into the match and put the game out of reach with her second in the 64th to increase the lead to three.

INW Best XI for Week 2 - Men

INW MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

F – Danny Delgadillo – Great Falls- The sophomore striker from California tallied three goals in pair of victories in the Red Lion Challenge versus Northwest Christian, 1-0, and Warner Pacific, 3-1. He was a constant threat throughout the two games and after a first half deadlock in the opener, struck for what held as the game-winner in the 54th minute against Northwest Christian. After hitting the post minutes earlier, Delgadillo got the ball and beat the remaining defender and the keeper before knocking it into an empty net. The following night after falling behind 19 minutes in to a fresh Warner Pacific side, Delgadillo answered with the equalizer three minutes later, driving into the box and ripping it home from 14 yards. Then, just before the half he stole the ball from a defender inside the box and put it out of reach of the keeper for another game-winner, his fifth goal of the young season.