MOSCOW, Idaho – Idaho soccer will travel to face Montana and Northern Arizona this week to continue its four-game road stretch. The Vandals will play in Missoula, Montana against the Grizzlies first on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. PT before wrapping up the week with a Sunday, Oct. 13 matchup at noon PT in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Idaho (8-3-2, 2-0-1) vs. Montana (8-2-2, 2-0-0)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 10 (2 p.m. PT)
Location: Missoula, Montana (South Campus Stadium)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Idaho (8-3-2, 2-0-1) vs. Northern Arizona (1-5-4, 1-1-0)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 13 (noon PT)
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona (Lumberjack Stadium)
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast

ABOUT IDAHO
Idaho soccer contains its first-place spot in the Big Sky after week two of conference play. The Vandals played Eastern Washington to a 2-2 draw on Sunday, moving to 8-3-2 overall and 2-0-1 in conference.

Sunday's game against the Eagles featured four goals scored in a span of 10 minutes, with each team scoring their goals a minute apart. EWU scored in the 57th and 58th minute before Idaho answered with back-to-back goals in the 67th and 68th minute. Annika Farley scored her second goal of the season, finding the left corner of the net off an assist from Sienna Gonzales. Not even a minute later, KV Miller struck a header past the EWU keeper off a corner kick from Alyssa Peters to even the score. It was the third occasion this season Miller has scored on a header off a set piece from Peters and it's the third goal scored by the sophomore defender in five games.  

CONFERENCE RANKINGS
After eight weeks of the Vandal soccer season, five Vandals are listed in the top 5 of multiple Big Sky statistical categories. After registering five assists in five games, Alyssa Peters ranks first in the conference in assists (6) and currently sits two shy of tying the Big Sky career record (27). Teammate Kate Sprink follows with three assists to sit in a tie for third. The Vandals' top goal scorers lie in Margo Schoesler (5) and Hannah Alfaro-Black (4). Schoesler is ranked in a tie for second in goals scored and fifth in points (10) while Alfaro-Black is tied at fourth. Goalkeeper Paula Flores continues to be effective for the Vandal defense in her first year of competition, ranking second in saves (6), third in shutouts (5) and fifth in saves per game (4.54).

ABOUT MONTANA
The Lady Griz enter the third week of Big Sky play as one of the top teams in the conference with an 8-2-2 overall mark and 2-0 conference record. Montana has won four straight games and maintains a perfect 7-0 record at home. Most recently, UM secured a 1-0 victory over Northern Colorado on the road (10/6).

The last time the Vandals and Grizzlies faced off it ended in a 2-0 win for Montana. The Grizzlies pulled ahead in the early going with goals in the 14th and 16th minutes to help knock off the Vandals in the P1FCU Kibbie Dome (10/1). The Vandals currently trail Montana in the all-time series 9-13-1 overall and 2-4-1 on the road. 

ABOUT NORTHERN ARIZONA
The Lumberjacks return to the pitch after recording a 3-1 win over Northern Colorado in Greeley (10/3). NAU's first win of the season saw goals scored by Haylee Phoenix, Joey Lujan and Valerie Llamas.  The Lumberjacks hold a 1-5-4 overall mark, 0-1-3 home record, and 1-1 in conference. 

The Vandals return to Flagstaff for the first time since winning the program's first Big Sky Tournament title on Nov. 3, 2023. Idaho secured a 2-1 win over host NAU with goals from Maddy Lasher and Naomi Alvarez, earning the conference crown. The all-time series between the two programs sits at 5-5-3 with Idaho earning victories in the last two. 

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