CENTENNIAL, Colo. — In a match that will be remembered as a defining moment in program history, No. 3-ranked The College of Idaho women's soccer team rose to the occasion and delivered an emphatic 4-2 victory over No. 3-ranked John Brown University (Ark.) on Saturday afternoon. The win marks the highest-ranked opponent the Yotes have ever defeated and closes out their non-conference schedule with a thunderous statement.
Both teams entered the match tied for third in the latest NAIA Women's Soccer Coaches' Top 25 Poll, setting the stage for a battle between two elite programs. It was the first-ever meeting between the Yotes and the Golden Eagles, and the intensity was palpable from the opening whistle.
Just two days earlier, The College of Idaho suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Science and Arts (Okla.), a team receiving votes in the national poll. That loss lit a fire under the Yotes, who came out with purpose and precision against John Brown. Junior forward Abbi Roubidoux wasted no time, scoring her fifth goal of the season in the eighth minute off a crisp assist from Gianna Yslava. Moments later, Yslava found the net herself, assisted by Roubidoux, as the Yotes surged to a 2-0 lead within the first 15 minutes.
John Brown responded with a goal in the 17th minute, but the Yotes refused to let momentum slip away. In the second half, Eden Makaafi added her second goal of the season, assisted by Allison Moultray, before Roubidoux struck again in the 66th minute, this time with help from Kyndra Lyons. The Golden Eagles managed a late goal in the 73rd minute, but it was too little, too late.
Roubidoux now leads the team with six goals and two game-winners through four matches, while the fourth year senior Yslava has continued to build on her stellar career having been apart of six of ten goals on the season. Makaafi's game-winning goal was her second goal of the season, and Moultray added her third assist, continuing her steady contribution in the midfield.
Goalkeeper Alivia Brenchley stood tall in net, making five saves and commanding the box with poise. In a nearly even distribution shots, the Golden Eagles fired off seven shots on frame but the Yotes were clinical scoring four out of their eight shots on target.
The win concludes The College of Idaho's non-conference schedule with a 3-1-0 record. The Yotes now turn their attention to Cascade Collegiate Conference play, beginning September 19 at Walla Walla University (Wash.), carrying momentum and belief that they can compete with anyone in the nation.