After a slow start to conference play (2-5-0), Boise State used a weekend sweep to push their current win streak to three games and keep hopes alive for sixth spot. in the muddled Mountain West postseason picture. With their final game Friday against already qualified Utah State, they need to match or better San Jose State and Air Force's results to hold them off.
Meanwhile, in non-tournament conferences 24th-ranked Washington State picked up a pair of road wins to move to third in the Pac-12 and the Gonzaga women had a split of sorts dropping a game to struggling Loyola Marymount Friday before posting a draw against 11th-ranked Pepperdine Sunday.
Here is a rundown of the area DI schools and their conferences as well as how players from the Inland Northwest performed around the nation in the past week.
October 20-26 | Upcoming games PT & conference matches unless noted (NL)
BIG SKY CONFERENCE
North Dakota 0-7 Montana
The Grizzlies had little trouble. They the lead a quarter-hour in with Mackenzie Akins putting a ball over the keeper's reach on a ball from Payton Wheeler. Brooke Moody doubled the lead at the half-hour mark from the penalty spot and Charlene Burger netted from about 15 yards seven minutes later. Allie Lucas and Burger combined to set up Maddy Emerick in the 41st to make the difference four at the break. Wheeler scored herself from about 10 yards after a turnover on the hour and Lucas scored the final two, getting the first off a loose ball in the 80th and the second off a Burger corner with three minutes left. Kailey Norman needed to make just one save as Montana outshot the visitors 26-1. MORE [+]
Northern Colorado 1-0 Eastern Washington
After two big road wins last week, the Eagles returned home and dropped their second consecutive in Cheney, allowing the deciding goal in the 37th minute of the contest. It was only the second time this season the Eagles were shutout. MORE [+]
Idaho 2-4 Sacramento State
Southern Utah 1-2 Idaho State
The Bengals started off well with Amanda Ellsworth scoring 21 minutes in on a corner from Maria Sanchez, but the visitors pulled even at the hour mark on a penalty kick. Defender Vanessa Cabilan, though, set up the winning strike in the 77th on a corner kick, finding Allyssa Kenney for the deciding goal. Ellsworth's goal tied the conference record for career points (81) and goals (36). MORE [+]
Northern Arizona 1-1 Weber State
Northern Colorado 0-1 Montana
With the Big Sky tournament hosting gig locked up, the Grizzlies were stymied a bit on Sunday, but finally broke the stalemate in the 83rd minute when Akins' shot was saved, rebounding to Hallie Widner for an open net finish. It was another light day in goal for Kailey Norman, who made two stops for the shutout as they outshot the visitors 14-5. MORE [+]
Northern Arizona 2-1 Idaho State
The Bengals find themselves in a must-win scenario going into their final game after their attempt to rally came up short. They fell behind in the 30th minute when a cross led to an own goal deflection from a defender. The Lumberjacks doubled the advantage in the 56th and Kenney cut the deficit with a free kick goal in the 80th, but Senior Day for the Bengals ended with heartbreak. MORE [+]
Idaho 1-3 Portland State
Eastern Washington 1-0 North Dakota
The Eagles dominated with a 20-6 advantage in shots, but it was Kiana Hafferty's goal in the 21st minute that was all they needed to snare the team's fourth consecutive victory on the road this season. Nathalie Schwery made three saves for the clean sheet, setting the program record for a single season with her sixth shutout. The win, combined with other results, pushed Eastern to third and clinched a spot in the conference tournament. MORE [+]
Southern Utah 2-1 (OT) Weber State
Standings: X-Montana 7-0-2... X-Portland State 5-2-2... X-Eastern Washington 5-4-0... Northern Arizona 4-2-3... Southern Utah 4-3-2... Idaho 4-4-2... Northern Colorado 4-4-1... Idaho State 4-4-1... Sacramento State 4-5-0... Weber State 2-6-1... North Dakota 0-9-0 [Season ends Oct 31 | Six berths to Big Sky tournament, X-Clinched berth]
Coming Up ** FINAL GAMES **
::: Thursday, October 30
Idaho @ Illinois State 7:00 (NL)
::: Friday, October 31
Montana @ Eastern Washington 2:00
Idaho State @ Weber State 3:00
Sacramento State @ Portland State 1:00
North Dakota @ Northern Colorado 6:00
Southern Utah @ Northern Arizona 7:00
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
Nevada 0-2 Boise State
Facing the conference's cellar-dwellers, the Broncos were forced to wait an hour before breaking through against the Wolf Pack. A fantastic effort from KT Clayton created the opening goal when drove down the left side and cut back inside as she neared the end line, finding some space in the box and firing a shot that was blocked. It rebounded to Dani Brown for the finish in the 62nd minute. Six minutes later Brooke Heidemann added some insurance with a great free kick, sending a swerving ball through the wall and inside the post from about 26 yards. Janelle Flores made five saves for the shutout. MORE [+]
Fresno State 0-4 Air Force
UNLV 1-0 Utah State
Colorado College 2-3 San Jose State
Colorado State 0-1 New Mexico
Wyoming 2-5 San Diego State
Sunday, October 26
Both sides fighting to keep postseason hopes alive, the Broncos dominated the opening half with 10 shots to one, getting on the board in the 33rd minute when Kayla Tucker drove down the right flank and delivered a cross into the middle of the area where Madi Campbell nodded the ball inside the far left post from about 14 yards. Tucker continued to do well, sending a chance off the bar that was ruled not to have crossed the line in the 38th and headed a ball off the top of the crossbar moments before the intermission. She finally found the back of the net on a counter in the 52nd minute after a clearance in the other end put Heidemann on a break with her. Heidemann drove up the midfield pressing the hosts to commit, putting Tucker through on the left side where she would rifle a shot under the bar from the top left corner of the area. Flores made another five saves for the clean sheet. MORE [+]
Air Force 1-2 San Jose State
San Diego State 1-0 Colorado State
Wyoming 1-2 New Mexico
Nevada 0-4 Utah State
Colorado College 2-1 Fresno State
Standings: X-San Diego State 9-1-0... X-Wyoming 7-3-0... X-New Mexico 6-2-2... X-Colorado College 6-3-1... X-Utah State 6-3-1... Boise State 5-5-0... San Jose State 4-5-1... Air Force 4-5-1... UNLV 4-6-0... Fresno State 3-7-0... Colorado State 2-8-0... Nevada 1-9-0 [Season ends Oct 31 | Six berths to MWC tournament, X-Clinched berth]
Coming Up ** FINAL GAMES **
::: Friday, October 31
Colorado State @ Wyoming 2:00
Utah State @ Boise State 2:00
Air Force @ Colorado College 2:00
UNLV @ Nevada 7:00
New Mexico @ San Diego State 7:00
San Jose State @ Fresno State 7:00
PAC-12 CONFERENCE - WOMEN
Monday, October 20
Friday, October 24
Washington State 2-1 Colorado
After falling behind at the half-hour mark, the Cougars evened things up five minutes before the break when a through ball from Jocelyn Jeffers put Cara Wegner on a run into the area for the equalizer. Kailiana Johnson and Kourtney Guetlein combined to set up Kaitlyn Johnson for the game-winner five minutes into the second half. MORE [+]
Washington 1-0 Utah
USC 1-0 Oregon
Stanford 3-2 Arizona
UCLA 3-0 Oregon State
California 1-0 Arizona State
Washington State 4-2 Utah
Kaitlyn Johnson and Guetlein paired up to give the Cougars a two-goal advantage early in Utah. Johnson tapped in a cross in the fifth minute and returned the favor for Guetlein's tally in the 26th. The hosts cut into the hole on a free kick in the 36th, but the Cougars answered immediately with Chelsea Harkins creating a turnover in the box and slipping it in under the crossbar two minutes later. In the 42nd a Jeffers free kick from about 19 yards pushed the lead to three before the break. The Utes were only able to get one in the second half in an attempt to rally. MORE [+]
Washington 0-0 Colorado
California 1-0 Arizona
UCLA 5-0 Oregon
Stanford 2-0 Arizona State
USC 2-1 Oregon State
Standings: UCLA 7-0-1... Stanford 6-1-1... Washington State 5-2-1... Washington 5-2-1... USC 4-4-0... California 3-3-2... Arizona 3-4-1... Colorado 3-4-1... Arizona State 2-3-3... Oregon 2-5-1... Utah 1-5-2... Oregon State 0-7-0 [Season ends Nov 7 | No conference tournament]
Coming Up
::: Thursday, October 30
Oregon @ Stanford 6:00
::: Friday, October 31
UCLA @ Washington State 2:00
Arizona @ Utah 11:00
Arizona State @ Colorado 2:00
Oregon State @ California 2:00
USC @ Washington 4:00
::: Sunday, November 2
USC @ Washington State 1:00
Arizona @ Colorado 11:00
Arizona State @ Utah 1:00
Oregon @ California 1:00
UCLA @ Washington 3:00
Oregon State @ Stanford 3:00
PAC-12 CONFERENCE - MEN
Trailing by two late in the contest, Timmy Mueller (Post Falls, ID) scored in the 84th minute for Oregon State in a 2-1 loss to conference leader UCLA.
WEST COAST CONFERENCE - WOMEN
Thursday, October 23
Santa Clara 2-5 BYU
Sofia Huerta (Boise, ID) set up the Broncos' first equalizer as the two sides exchanged goals before the hosts ran away with the win with three unanswered.
Friday, October 24
Loyola Marymount 2-1 Gonzaga
A Karley Baggerly run up the right side finished with her feeding Mikayla Anderson in the third minute for the lead, but the visitors answered in the 18th minute and used a free kick from midfield to create the second goal for the victory in a half in which the Zags dominated the play. In the second half, things were more even and Christie Tombari was tested several times, eliciting a number of fine saves, including a penalty kick in the 60th minute. INW REPORT [+]
Pepperdine 1-0 Portland
Saturday, October 25
San Francisco 0-3 BYU
Saint Mary's 1-0 Pacific
Pepperdine 1-1 Gonzaga
After a letdown on Friday, the Zags proved their resiliency again against the 11th-ranked Wave. After a scoreless first half in which the Bulldogs nearly scored on a pair of corners, the visitors got on the board eight minutes in when they got behind the defense and beat Christie Tombari, who made another seven saves in the result. The Zags answered quickly with Heather Johnson launching a long cross from the left side that soared over the keeper's reach at the edge of the six and dropped down onto the head of Kasey Rubosky, who buried it from just a few yards. MORE [+]
Santa Clara 3-1 San Diego
The Broncos returned to the win column thanks to Sofia Huerta (Boise, ID). Immediately after their opener, she scored less than 30 seconds later to push the lead to two in the 13th minute. On a breakaway in the 77th she added a second for her 12th goal of the season to make the difference three.
Loyola Marymount 0-1 Portland
Standings: BYU 6-0-0... Pepperdine 4-1-2... Santa Clara 4-2-0... Gonzaga 3-2-1... San Diego 3-3-0... Portland 3-3-0... Loyola Marymount 2-4-1... San Francisco 2-4-0... Saint Mary's 1-3-2... Pacific 0-6-0 [Season ends Nov 8 | No conference tournament]
Coming Up
::: Thursday, October 30
BYU @ Saint Mary's 3:00
San Diego @ Pacific 7:00
::: Friday, October 31
Gonzaga @ Santa Clara 7:00
::: Saturday, November 1
San Diego @ Saint Mary's 1:00
BYU @ Pacific 7:00
::: Sunday, November 2
Gonzaga @ San Francisco 1:00
Loyola Marymount @ Pepperdine 1:00
Portland @ Santa Clara 2:00
WEST COAST CONFERENCE - MEN
Friday, October 24
Stanford 3-0 San Francisco (NL)
Saturday, October 25
Santa Clara 1-3 Maryland (NL)
Standings: San Francisco 2-0-0... San Diego 2-0-0... Saint Mary's 1-1-0... Loyola Marymount 1-1-0... Santa Clara 1-1-0... Gonzaga 1-1-0... Portland 0-2-0... Pacific 0-2-0 [Season ends Nov 15 | No conference tournament]
Coming Up
::: Friday, October 31
San Diego @ Gonzaga 2:00
San Francisco @ Saint Mary's 3:00
Loyola Marymount @ Portland 7:00
Santa Clara @ Pacific 7:00
Loyola Marymount @ Gonzaga 1:00
San Diego @ Portland 1:00
Santa Clara @ Saint Mary's 2:00
San Francisco @ Pacific 3:00
DIVISION I NOTES
Kara Marbury (Spokane, WA) scored off the rebound of her blocked initial shot in the 26th minute as Illinois downed Michigan State 2-0 Friday (VIDEO), and they earned a spot in the Big 10 tournament Sunday although they fell 2-1 to Michigan courtesy of other results... Julia Moravec set up the opening goal in a 1-1 draw against UM-KC Friday and then added a goal and two assists in an 11-0 drubbing of Chicago State Sunday.
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