BIG SKY: Montana edges Eastern Washington to finish unbeaten; Idaho State advances to playoffs

The Big Sky Tournament is set, and kicks off Thursday in Missoula - Details below

The Grizzlies were looking to finish an unbeaten season in the Big Sky and Eastern Washington was playing for postseason positioning in a contest that could have gone either way a week ahead of the Big Sky Conference tournament. In the end, a second half goal for Montana proved to be the difference as the Grizzlies prevailed 1-0 in Cheney.

Lady Bulldogs bounce back and feast on Idaho 5-0

Gonzaga controlled the match from the opening whistle Sunday at Luger Field (Photos: Gerald Barnhart)

After an unusually flat performance in a two-goal shutout loss Friday to Montana, the Gonzaga women came out flying from the opening whistle Sunday versus Idaho and used a pair of goals from Karley Baggerly to roll to a 5-0 victory.

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. 

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.

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 - 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. 

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.

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: 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Idaho Vandal soccer likely headed to Big Sky; will others follow?

The constant shifting sands of football programs among the various Division I conferences over the years is finally catching up on the Western Athletic Conference, and the University of Idaho is poised to be the latest to leave the conference for football reasons. The byproduct will assuredly see the non-football sports joining the Big Sky Conference as the school remains independent on the gridiron.

The process for the Vandals reached a tipping point in the past week with the school receiving approval from the Idaho State Board of Education on Friday to become an independent football program and discuss membership in the Big Sky for its other sports.

Boise's Saur bags three in Carroll's win; Idaho schools sweep

Gonzaga outshot Washington State, but it was the Cougars who were able to convert Sunday afternoon in Pullman as they posted a 3-0 victory to open their season. Goalkeeper Susan Brown was unable to beat Micaela Castain to the ball 15 yards out in the 24th minute, allowing the striker to put the ball past the attempted block of defender Morgan Manchester (Spokane Valley, WA). It was the only goal of the half as Kasey Rubosky (Spokane, WA) was able to make a sliding clearance off the goal-line early in the half after Jocelyn Jeffers had beaten Brown.

INW schools go four for five; Breen scores in Vandals loss

Opening weekend of the collegiate season in the Inland Northwest kicked off in earnest Friday with five official matches. Gonzaga, Boise State, Idaho State and Montana earned victories while the University of Idaho fell. Washington State got the better of Eastern Washington in an exhibition and Rocky Mountain College also earned an exhibition win.

Boise State busy hosts in April

The Broncos will play host to six games this spring. The ladies will kick things off April 14 against Northwest Nazarene and conclude the busy slate two weeks later with the Alumnae Game April 28.

Spring soccer well under way for Vandals

The University of Idaho Women are off to a busy start to a spring campaign that features five friendlies against regional colleges and wraps up with the Gonzaga Tournament April 21.