Bengal Soccer Hits the Road; Faces Westminster College on Sunday

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POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State soccer team hits the road for the second time this season as they head to Salt Lake City, Utah to take on the Griffins of Westminster College on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 2:30 p.m. at Dumke Field. The Bengals are on the hunt for their first win of the season heading into Sunday's match.

LAST MATCH: ISU LOSES TOUGH BATTLE TO CSU FULLERTON, 4-2
The Bengals fell at home to CSU Fullerton 4-2 on Friday afternoon after a hard-fought match at Davis Field. Idaho State (0-3-0) battled for the first 45 minutes and matched the Titans (3-0-0) in energy and effort, but an unfortunate handball and another short defensive letdown led to two goals for the Titans in the first half.

The first goal came off a penalty kick in the 21st minute that was the result of an ISU handball in the penalty box. CSU Fullerton's Rebecca Wilson took the penalty and snuck it past ISU goalkeeper Sheridan Hapsic for her third goal of the season. The Titans second goal came from a quick cross and finish by Alba Barrios with less than two minutes in the half.

The Bengals came out hot in the second half, scoring in the first five minutes to cut the lead to one. However, a short defensive letdown forty seconds later led to the Titans third goal.

"The consistent problem that we're having is managing the games and managing the goals," Head Coach Allison Gibson said. "The Big Five is the five minutes at the end and beginning of a half, as well as the five minutes following a goal. We've just been bit so many times giving up goals during those times."

The Bengals cut the lead once more after senior defender Vanessa Cabilan fired from ten feet out on the left side and buried her first goal of the season off a cross from sophomore Maria Sanchez. The two squads played back-and-forth for the next 12 minutes until Titan forward Sarah Fajnor scored the fourth and final goal of the match in the 74th minute.

ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE:
The Griffins enter the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this season as they are in their first year of the NCAA Division II membership process. The team returns 17 players from the 2014 squad that finished 15-4-2 and advanced to the NAIA National Championships.
 
Senior forward Rylei North returns for the Griffins after scoring a school-record 16 goals in 2014. North is also the all-time leader in goals (26) and points (55) for Westminster.
 
The Griffins also return defenders Megan Molumby and Maddie Lewis to the backline. They helped Westminster to record a 0.70 goals-against average last season. In goal, the Griffins return senior Abi Yanke who is the all-time leader with a 0.69 goals-against average and has recorded 23 wins and 16 shutouts in her career.
 
The Griffins are coached by Tony LeBlanc who is in his ninth season with Westminster and carries a 71-56-10 record.