MOSCOW, Idaho
- The University of Idaho (2-8-0, 0-2-0) women's soccer team could not shake its losing ways as the Vandals fell to Gonzaga University (8-5-0, 0-0-0) 2-1 in a non-conference, double-overtime match Friday at Guy Wicks Field.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the first half when Annie Hawkins scored on an assist from her twin sister Sarah Hawkins in the 42nd minute. Idaho was able to tie the game in the 65th minute when a ricochet off the Gonzaga goalpost landed right at Lindsey Kihm's feet and she was able to beat the keeper for her first career goal.
Neither team was able to net another goal through the end of regulation and the score remained 1-1 through the first overtime. In the 103rd minute, a high shot from a Bulldog player hit the cross bar and fell right in front of Gonzaga's Jamie Blanche and she was able to shoot it in for the win.
"This is a disappointing loss," head coach Arby Busey said. "For people who haven't been able to see us play on the road, this is the story of the last few weeks. We are right on the threshold and just cannot get that final push. We always seem to find a way to make a mistake at a critical time and we get punished for our mistakes at this level. We have to get better at finishing games or else we are going to find ourselves in the same situation over and over again."
The Vandals were outshot by a 19-12 margin, and Vandal goalkeeper Lindsay Smith grabbed five saves. Idaho was also able to outlast 16 total cornerkicks from the Bulldogs without giving up a goal.
Kihm's second period goal was the first goal for the Vandals since Sept. 17, a span of four games.
"Right now it is just a matter of having everyone stay focused for the entire game. We will lose our focus for two minutes here or three minutes there and our opponents will take advantage and score on us. We have got to stay razor sharp to keep ourselves in these games," Busey said.
The Vandals will now return to conference play when they take on their travel partner Utah State Sunday at Guy Wicks Field. The game versus the Aggies begins at 12 p.m. PT.
"Utah State is a team we are very evenly matched with and we should be able to get a result against them on our own field. In order to have success in this conference we have win at home and we will have to make something happen Sunday if we expect to be successful in conference play this season," Busey said.
