Jenna Larson
Idaho State University Sports Information
POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State soccer team fell to visiting Hawai’i 2-0 Tuesday afternoon on a hot and smoky afternoon at Davis Field. The Bengals had no trouble getting shots off against the Rainbow Wahine, finishing with 20 shots with eight on goal, but Idaho State continued to struggle to put the ball in the back of the net.
“This one…I’m really disappointed,” Head Coach Allison Gibson said. “We played great soccer and gave ourselves every opportunity to win this game, and we can’t put the ball in the back of the net.”
Idaho State (1-5-0) was the clear aggressor in the first half, controlling the ball and advancing into Hawai’i’s (3-4-0) defensive half often. The Bengals were all over fifty-fifty balls, and their ball movement was excellent. ISU was able to get off seven shots in the first 45 minutes with five of those shots on goal, but UH’s Alexis Mata was perfect in goal with five saves. The Bengal defense thwarted any attempt of Hawai’i as the Rainbow Wahine finished without a shot on goal in the first half.
In the second half, ISU once again was the aggressor as it fired off four shots in the first 15 minutes, but the Bengals were unable to capitalize. In the 77th minute, UH’s Dani Crawford dribbled down the right sideline and sent a cross directly across the goal where Sonest Furtado fired UH’s first shot on goal of the afternoon past Bengals goalkeeper Shawna Hennings. Following UH’s score, momentum shifted in favor of the Rainbow Wahine as they took 10 shots over the next nine minutes, three of which were saved by Hennings. UH once more broke through in the 88th minute as Mikaelah Johnson-Griggs connected on a pass from Furtado for UH’s second goal.
Idaho State was able to get off two more shots in the final two minutes, but the Bengals were unable to score the equalizing goals.
“It is a mentality; it’s only a mentality,” Gibson said. “They all can finish and they are all getting these opportunities. 52 shots in two games and we can’t put more than one in the back of the net…that’s just mentality.”
Sophomore midfielder Makena Bambei led the Bengals with five shots, two on goal, while sophomore forward Michaela Didericksen was close behind with four shots, two on goal. Hennings finished the game with four save with two goals against.
Idaho State continues play on the road at Wyoming on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 4 p.m.
