Don't Stop Believing: Bengals "Journey" Continues After Upset of Montana

By Matt Gittins, ISU Sports Information

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MISSOULA, Montana – The Idaho State soccer team punched their ticket to the Big Sky Championship game with a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory Friday afternoon at South Campus Stadium in Montana.

Trailing 1-0 to the top seeded Grizzlies, a team that had beat them 3-1 earlier in the season, hope was fading quickly amongst the ISU supporters.  The Bengals had not generated many chances offensively and Montana, a team that had yet to lose a conference game all season, seemed primed to move on.

"They don't give up. It's what we have built our whole season on," Head Coach Allison Gibson said. "It's exactly what they heard at halftime. We are fighters and we are scrappers.  We win games by clawing our way back."

The momentum would turn in the 73rd minute when senior Amanda Ellsworth collected a through ball from Madeline Gochnour and beat the Grizzlies' keeper for the equalizer.

 "It's soccer," Ellsworth said. "The best team doesn't always win. Sometimes it's a mixture of great players and great work ethic and that never say die mentality."

The Bengal celebration would continue just four minutes later when Katherine Roberts deflected an Allyssa Kenney shot into the back of the net for the game-winner.

"We had to keep composure and know that we could come back," Roberts said.

It is the third time this season ISU has won a match after trailing at halftime.  They are 10-79-5 in program history when they are behind at the intermission.

The home squad would threaten multiple times down the stretch but the Bengals defense stood strong to earn their spot in the Big Sky Championship game.  

"Like coach said yesterday, we are that team that won't go away," Keeper Sheridan Hapsic said.

The Bengals will take on the #3 seed Northern Arizona, Sunday, Nov 9th at 12:00 p.m. in Missoula for the conference championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.  NAU defeated ISU 2-1 in Pocatello earlier this season.
 

GAME NOTES
Idaho State has won the Big Sky more than any other team (5). They have made it to the championship match in seven of their eight appearances in the conference tournament. 

26 of the 35 goals scored this year have come in the second half.  16 of those have been scored in the 71st minute or later.

Amanda Ellsworth set the Big Sky Conference record for goals in a post-season tournament with her third tally.  She is the career Big Sky and ISU leader in goals scored (38) and points (85).