Oct. 31, 2009
Final Stats
Weber State Box Score 
Pocatello, ID-- Idaho State needed a win to clinch a spot in the Big Sky Conference tournament and the Bengals did it with a resounding 4-0 victory over Weber State on Saturday afternoon, senior day, at Davis Field. The Bengals improved to a winning 9-7 record for the regular season and a 4-3 league record to earn 12 points to tie for third place in the Big Sky standings and ensured Idaho State's sixth Big Sky tournament appearance.
Two of Idaho State's three seniors scored a goal each assisting the other in the second half. Senior Annamarie Hofstetter scored Idaho State's third goal of the game with 70:48 on the clock when Beseris served up a free kick to the box. Hofstetter swooped in from the right side and put the ball in the back of the net. It was Hofstetter's fifth goal of the season.
Defender Beseris scored Idaho State's fourth goal when she knocked in a header off a corner kick served up by Hofstetter at 80:34 on the clock. Beseris' goal is not only her second of the season, but the second of her career. Hofstetter's assist was the 25th of her career which improved the all-time Big Sky career assists record.
Senior Kacey Ball led the Bengals with three shots and one on goal. Idaho State outshot the Wildcats 17-to-10, but more importantly held Weber State to just two shots on goal. Weber State, who could not qualify for the Big Sky tournament ended their season with a 6-12 record and finished 2-5 in the Big Sky tied for seventh place.
"They did a tremendous job," said head coach Allison Gibson of the performance given by the seniors in their final home games of their careers. "Kacey didn't put up any numbers today, but she's been doing it all year long and the great thing that she did was her unselfish play, she drew attention from defenders to free everyone else up. For Christina and Hoff to both get a goal and an assist, for them it was the pinnacle of their careers here and what they've given to this program, and to the school and community has been unbelievable."
Both Hofstetter and Beseris will see their second Big Sky tournaments as both players were with the Bengals in 2006 when Idaho State captured the Championship title. Head coach Gibson led the Bengals to the title in her first season with Idaho State. ISU has never gone more than two seasons without a Big Sky tournament appearance.
The game-winning goal for Idaho State came from freshman Ashley Jones who was playing for her first chance at a conference tournament appearance as she scored at the 30:58 mark on a cross from Jana Davis-Boehler. It is Jones' fifth goal of the season. Both Jones and Hofstetter lead Idaho State with five goals each.
Defender Karissa Henage-Fisher, a junior, scored ISU's second goal of the first period at the 43:14 mark when she connected off a rebound from a Weber State defender. It is her third goal of the season.
Idaho State's victory over Weber State also marks an undefeated Big Sky home record as ISU is 4-0 at Davis Field. Gibson posts a 9-2-3 record over four years at Davis Field in conference play.
"This is a really hard place to play for opponents. It's so loud and there is so much energy in the stadium and I think it has continued to be true. Our kids, we feed off of it so much. The crowd is just awesome. They are so supportive and it's been that way for us all year and we play different at home. I know there is a home field advantage in athletics, but we epitomize that."
The Bengals outshot Weber State in both periods, with ISU coming on strongest in the second recording 10 shots. Idaho State also posted four of their five corner kicks in the second period.
A very physical contests, ISU led in fouls with 14 to Weber State's nine, however Weber Eearned two yellow cards and a red to Idaho State's lone yellow. ISU's yellow card came from Rachel Strawn. Immediately following the card Weber State's Shannon Thompson responded with a shove to Strawn earning her the red card. Thompson also made a pushing motion at the referee.
Idaho State matched its game-high goal count for the season of four against Weber State with the teams' only other four goal game coming from its 4-2 victory over Northern Arizona at home. ISU keeper Bailey Williams recorded her third shutout of the season with two saves.
Portland State won the regular season title with a 4-1-2 record for 14 points and will host the tournament championship. The Bengals are seeded third in the tournament as they defeated Northern Arizona in the regular season. Idaho State will face off against No. 2 seed Eastern Washington at 2:30 p.m. MT in the semifinals at PCC-Rock Creek.
Notes: Davis-Boehler a graduate student had her senior day last season as a redshirt junior as she was not sure if she would return for this season ... Idaho State improves to a 1-1 record on Halloween.
BIG SKY CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Semifinals - Friday, November 6
No. 2 Eastern Washington vs. No. 3 Idaho State - 2:30 p.m. MT
No. 1 Portland State vs. No. 4 Northern Arizona - 5:00 p.m. MT
Final - Sunday, November 8
Semifinal Winners - Noon MT
Games Played at PCC-Rock Creek in Portland, Ore.
