Brittney Lacey scored two goals in Lady Yotes win
CALDWELL, Idaho - A pair of first half goals by Brittney Lacey held up, as The College of Idaho clinched their sixth-straight postseason berth with a gutsy 2-1 victory over Corban University, this afternoon at windy Simplot Stadium.
In a must-win game with the final berth in the Cascade Conference Tournament on the line, the Lady Yotes (7-8-1, 5-3-1 CCC) ran their home unbeaten streak to five matches, securing a Saturday date in Portland, Ore., against top-seeded Concordia.
Lacey got the Coyotes on the board in the 12th minute, collecting a loose ball just outside the left corner of the box, looping a long 20-yard strike into the right corner of the net. However, the Warriors (11-7, 5-4) would have a flurry midway through the half, as an Audrey Sullivan strike missed just right of the post and a Rachel Cole shot from the right wing clanged off the middle of the crossbar.
The Coyotes would make it 2-0 in the 30th minute, as on a counter-attack, Jessica Ayala played a ball deep into the left corner, chipping a ball to Lacey in the box, who turned an roped a left-footed strike into the upper left corner of the net.
Corban cut the margin in half in the 38th minute, as Amanda Mendenall played a great through-ball between two C of I defenders, with Sullivan tallying her 14th goal of the year on a 1-on-1 chance with keeper Aimee Pierson. The Warriors nearly tied it in the 40th minute, as a Sullivan 20-yard shot banged off the crossbar.
In the second half, the Warriors had the run of the field for the first 10 minutes, firing six shots at the Coyote goal, including a pair on frame, but could not crack Pierson. The Yotes nearly made it 3-1 in a flurry in the 61st minute, as Lacey missed a sitter in the box just left, a left-footed Chelsea Heffner shot from 10-yards narrowly hit the crossbar, and a Taylor Culver shot inside the box was cleared off the goal line by the Warrior defense.
The final 10 minutes saw the Warriors push 10 players into the attacking zone, with a pair of Emily Tsugawa shots from inside the box missing just wide – as Corban lost to The C of I for the first time since 2007.
The Warriors held a 23-13 edge in total shots, but the Yotes held a 6-5 margin in shots on goal. Pierson made four saves in the victory for The C of I.
The site and game time for Saturday’s semifinal contest with Concordia has not been determined – look for updates online at http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.