Oct. 26, 2007
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Chelsea Cox celebrated her 21st birthday with a gift to ISU head coach Allison Gibson, as her flick header on a free kick just eluded a diving Grace Harris with 1:23 left in the game, giving Idaho State a 1-0 victory over Montana than catapults the Bengals into the thick of the conference race with two games left, and potentially crushes Montana's hopes of a conference tournament berth.
Cox's header came off a free kick from Annamarie Hofstetter about 45-yards out. Hofstetter, who picked up her sixth assist of the season on the play, lofted a free kick in the box, and Cox, running to her left, spun around and with her back to the goal and body contorted, redirected the kick towards the far post. Harris, who had seven saves and had never allowed a goal on ISU's field in two career games there, couldn't get to the far post fast enough, and Idaho State's streak of 379:55 without a goal and three straight double overtime ties was gone just like that.
While ISU controlled the play for basically the entire first half, Montana roared to life in the second, getting thwarted on several good opportunities. Fifteen minutes into the second half, Meghan Chambers broke free but Eves kicked her right leg out and just got a piece of it to deflect it away, 10 minutes later Laura Nogueira broke in from midfield on a breakaway, but she never got a shot off, losing possession with Eves just picked the ball up.
Rachael Mayer with 15 minutes left took a shot from 25-yard out that was labeled for the upper corner, but Eves dove and just got enough to tip it over the bar. That was the sixth of Maren's eight saves in her third consecutive shutout.
Head coach Allison Gibson, who saw her team improve to 6-4-6 overall and 1-1-3 in the conference, feels that just like last year, this win Montana might be the kick start to another late season run. "Going to Eastern Washington, just knowing we can win games like this, hold off an opponent, and importantly, score, is really going to help us heading out on the road to face Eastern Washington."
Noting that the 5-3 Cox' heroics came on a header in from of the 5-10 Mayer and 5-9 Sarah Aspinwall, Gibson said, "She just never gives up on anything and is fearless in the air. She really gives us a lift with her play in the air, and she is a target despite usually being smaller than her defenders."
Now the Bengals head to Eastern Washington for a Sunday afternoon contest at 2:00 pm Mountain Time against a tough Eagles squad that despite being in last place in the conference at 1-4, has nearly set a school record for wins, as they are 6-8 on the year overall. They are coming off a 1-0 double overtime loss to Weber State on Thursday. The Bengals, who await the results of the Friday late games (NAU vs. PSU and SAC vs. UNC), will most likely be one of two points out of a playoff spot heading into the Sunday matchup.
"We just need to continue playing strong defensively, and continue to work hard on finishing," said Gibson.
NOTES: Maren Eves now has three straight shutouts, and she has a streak of 384:06 without allowing a goal, passing Shannon Boyle's streak of 338:51 for second all-time. Holly Emery is first at 469:43, meaning she needs to hold Eastern scoreless for 85:38 to set the ISU record ... Cox now has six career goals and two game winners ... Hofstetter has 16 career assists, moving into third place all alone on the all-time ISU list, three away from surpassing Heather Jones (18 from 2000-03) for first place ... ISU is 8-0-3 at Davis Field in their last 11 games at home ... ISU avoided becoming the first team in Division I history to play three consecutive 0-0 double overtime tie games.
