POCATELLO, Idaho – On a rain-soaked Sunday afternoon at Davis Field, Idaho State women's soccer did what it has done so many times this season—found a way to win late.
Junior Isa Winton delivered the game-winner in the 87th minute, cleaning up a rebound in front of goal to lift the Bengals past Portland State, 1-0, in a hard-fought Big Sky battle. The victory was Idaho State's first conference win of the season, improving the Bengals to 4-5-3 overall and 1-1-1 in Big Sky play, and marked the team's fourth shutout of the year.
"It was a really good win, something we really needed," Winton said. "I think we've been right there all season, and this feels like the start of something for us."
The winning sequence came after a prolonged stretch of second-half pressure. Redshirt-Junior Samantha Fenske took possession off a throw-in near the right sideline, slipped past a defender, and served a driven cross toward the box. Mary Za rose to meet the ball with a strong header, forcing a diving save from the Portland State keeper—but Winton was there to bury the rebound for her first goal of the season.
"Dustin always tells us to switch the play on an in," said Fenske. "I just tried to get the ball into the box. I knew Mary and Isa would be crashing, and they made it count."
"We talked about their keeper in scout—that she can bobble sometimes," Winton added. "I trusted Mary to get the header, and I just tried to put myself in position. I saw it bounce out and didn't hesitate."
The Bengals generated most of their offensive chances in the second half after a slow and slippery first 45 minutes, impacted by steady rain the day before that left the field slick and heavy.
"It wasn't our best technical performance, but the girls adapted," said head coach Dustin Downey. "We realized in the second half we couldn't play the way we wanted, so we started pushing the ball upfield more. Sometimes, it's about adjusting and finding the moment—and we did."
Idaho State was outshot by Portland State 14-11 and tied their season-high with 9 corner kicks, including six in the second half. Winton and Fenske each recorded two shots, while Za added three shots and an assist and helped anchor the attack in the final third.
But the win wouldn't have been possible without a determined effort from the Bengal defense and freshman goalkeeper Hannah Wieler, who made six saves—tying her career high—to earn her fourth shutout of the season.
"On a wet day like this, anything can happen in goal," Downey said. "But Hannah had really clean hands today. She held everything, made smart decisions, and deserved that shutout."
Defenders Tess Livingston, Sofia Wolf, and Daphne Egelhoff all drew praise for helping Idaho State keep Portland State off the board during an intense second half that saw the Vikings push for a late goal.
"It's great to be able to trust our back line," said Fenske. "Tess was there for every header, every slide tackle. They always have our backs."
Downey added, "Tess really cleaned up everything for us today. She was physical, smart, and composed. It's huge to have a player like that when you're trying to grind out a result."
The victory capped a bounce-back effort for Idaho State after a tough road loss at Eastern Washington in the teams' last outing. It also reinforced a growing identity for this Bengals squad—a team that thrives in late-game moments. Sunday's win marked the third time this season Idaho State has scored a game-winning or game-tying goal in the final three minutes, following late dramatics against Boise State and Oregon State earlier this fall.
"It wasn't pretty today, but good teams find ways to win when they're not at their best," Downey said. "This team has chemistry, grit, and a ton of fight. That's going to carry us far."
Bengal Bites
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Isa Winton recorded her first goal of the season and first career game-winner.
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Samantha Fenske tallied her first career assist, while Mary Za earned her second assist on the season.
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Hannah Wieler posted her fourth shutout of the season, tying her career-high with six saves.
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Tess Livingston led the defense with multiple clearances, aerial wins, and key tackles.
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Portland State outshot Idaho State 14-11, but ISU held a 5–4 advantage in corner kicks.
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The Bengals have now posted three home shutouts and are 3-3-2 at Davis Field this season.
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This marks Idaho State's first win over Portland State since 2023 and second victory in their last four meetings.
Next Up
The Bengals return to action on Thursday, October 9th, hosting Sacramento State in another key Big Sky matchup. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Davis Field.
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