MOSCOW, Idaho - The Vandals play the final road non-conference road match of the year at CSU Bakersfield Sunday at 11 a.m. The Vandals are 3-3-2 on the season after dropping a hard-fought battle at Grand Canyon while Bakersfield is 3-4 after winning three straight matches, scoring at least three goals in each.
ABOUT IDAHO
Idaho dropped a match at Grand Canyon that saw the Vandals outshoot the Lopes 15-10, earning more corner kicks (5-3) and shots on goals (5-3), but never finding the back of the net.
Idaho is seventh in the Big Sky in goals, but first in shutouts and goal-against average.
Calli Chiarelli and
Annika Farley have scored two goals each to lead the Vandals this season while
Georgia Whitehead and
Tori Peters lead with two assists each on the year.
Paula Flores is ranked ninth for shutouts in the NCAA with four and ha sthe second best goal against average in the Big Sky.
The Vandals have won double-digit games in each of the last four seasons and have made the Big Sky Championship match three years in a row, falling in a shootout in two of the three years while advancing to the NCAA tournament in 2023.
CSU BAKERSFIELD
The Roadrunners looked hapless on the offensive end in the first four games of the season, scoring just one goal in four games, but in the three games since, the Roadrunners have scored 11 goals and won three straight against quality opponents.
Bakersfield is 3-4 under first year head coach Whitney Pitalo. Natalie O'Sullivan leads the roadrunners with three goals, including one each of the last three games. Goalkeeper Anaya Kamy has allowed eight goals in seven games this season.
PRESEASON BIG SKY COACHES POLL
As a team, the Vandals were picked third behind preseason favorite Montana and No. 2 Eastern Washington. Idaho is the only team to make the Big Sky Championship match each of the last three seasons.
PRESEASON HONORS
Idaho graduate midfielder
Annika Farley was named to the All-Big Sky Preseason team and the United Soccer Coaches Midfielder Watch List released before the season began.
Farley, a returning First-Team All-Big Sky honoree led Idaho with five goals and 13 points on the season after starting in every game for the Vandals.
A team captain for 2025, she helped the Vandal defense record eight shutouts on the year while contributing on the offensive end of the field.
Junior
Izzy Thoma was named to the Preseason All-Big Sky team as a Defender. She played in all 20 games a season ago.
SUPER SCHEDULE
The Vandals play an outstanding schedule this season, which includes a trip to Big Ten Washington, an East Coast swing at UMass Lowell and Stonehill College and home non-conference games against Washington State, South Dakota, UTEP and Boise State.
FABULOUS FLORES
Vandal goalkeeper
Paula Flores was among the best in the Big Sky. She recorded eight shutouts on the season, second in the Big Sky. She allowed just 21 goals in 20 games, for a goal-against average of 1.038, third in the Big Sky and first among full-season starters. She has four shutouts already this season, behind a young but talented back line.
TRANSFERS INTO MOSCOW
Six new Vandals came via the transfer portal this winter.
Kya Parke (CS Fullerton),
Amalia Fonua (Jackson State),
Deanna Montero (Washington),
Georgia Whitehead (WSU),
Karina Da Silva (Washington) and
Calli Chiarelli (SIU Edwardsville) all transferred in ahead of the spring semester. All players were available in the spring for conditioning and spring games.
Whitehead scored the first goal of the season for the Vandals.
UP NEXT
The Vandals return home to face Boise State Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome.
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