Box Score PDF | Photo Gallery
POCATELLO, Idaho -- The Idaho State soccer team fell in its home opener Sunday afternoon as Boise State escaped with a 1-0 win at Davis Field. The Bengals battled offensively nearly matching the Broncos total shots, but Boise State capitalized on a first-half penalty kick to earn the win.
Idaho State (1-2-0) started off strong, rattling off five unanswered shots and earning three corner kicks in the first 13 minutes, but Boise State (2-1-1) countered. Senior Baylee Blaser rattled off two shots, and on the second was fouled in the box, resulting in a penalty kick. Blaser connected to the upper right corner of the goal, just out of reach of ISU senior goalkeeper
Shawna Hennings.
Boise State controlled the offensive pace for the remainder of the second half, but Idaho State's back line held strong, thwarting all of the Broncos' attempts.
Â
"I thought we did some things OK, but I think we took a couple steps backwards," Head Coach
Allison Gibson said. "I think the most frustrating thing for us as a group today was that first half. We looked tired, we didn't get to balls, the 50-50 balls, all those things, for whatever reason…they heard about it at halftime. I thought we came out and played a much better second half. But unfortunately, by that point, we had dug ourselves a hole and we were just trying to come out of that hole."
In the second half, Idaho State rallied and outshot Boise State 9 to 5, but only two of those attempts were on goal. Broncos' goalkeeper Janelle Flores collected two saves, preventing any score for Idaho State.
"It's only our third game of the season, and I think as we continue to learn and come out of that bad performance in the first half and make adjustments, things are going to get better," Gibson said.
Idaho State returns to play Friday, Sept. 1 against Utah State at 4 p.m. at Davis Field.
Â
