POCATELLO, Idaho – In a game that looked destined to end in a frustrating loss, Idaho State Women's Soccer made a statement.
With just under a minute left, sophomore defender Talia Coury rose above the pack on a free kick sent in from redshirt-sophomore, Payton Reed, and buried a header to equal the score with Boise State, salvaging a 1-1 draw on Sunday night at Davis Field. The goal punctuated a relentless night of effort for the Bengals, who outshot the defending Mountain West regular season champions, 18-11, and held their own against one of the region's top programs.
"I just said to myself, 'That's mine,'" Coury said. "I hit it and I knew. I didn't even need to watch it go in. I just started running straight toward the fans."
The goal came off a service from Payton Reed, who lofted the ball into the box from the left side on a set piece. It was a finish made possible by persistence. Idaho State generated pressure throughout the match, launching nine shots in each half and staying aggressive even after falling behind early.
Boise State struck first in the 17th minute on a quick buildup that ended with Kenzie MacMillan finishing a low cross. But despite the early deficit, the Bengals never backed down. The Broncos, who lost several key players from last year's NCAA tournament push, relied on speed and transition to create moments of danger, but Idaho State's young back line stood tall.
That back line included two freshmen, Tess Livingston and Sophia Wolf, and a first-year starting goalkeeper in Hannah Wieler. For head coach Dustin Downey, the performance from that group was one of the night's biggest takeaways.
"With a young back line and a young goalkeeper, you expect there might be a few mistakes," Downey said. "But they're gritty, they're smart, and they're coachable. For their first collegiate game, to come out here and play the way they did, I was very impressed."
Downey emphasized that the equalizer didn't come from a scripted set play but rather from instincts and effort. The Bengals hadn't spent much time installing set pieces due to a teamwide illness that affected nearly half the roster earlier in the week. Still, they knew they had the personnel to make it count in the air.
"We haven't had time to do much on free kicks, but we've gone out and recruited kids that can head the ball," Downey said. "At some point, you just put the ball up and tell your bigs, 'Go get it.' And that's what they did."
The equalizer wasn't the only close call. Idaho State saw multiple shots blocked or deflected, and Saydree Cooke hit the post midway through the second half. Cooke and Reed both generated quality looks, and the midfield, anchored by Mary Za and Isabella Winton, controlled large stretches of possession.
"We created 17 chances," Downey said. "Now we need to be more clinical in front of goal. But the effort was there. The ideas were there."
On the other end, Wieler recorded three saves in her collegiate debut, including a key denial of Kayla Soderstrom in the 79th minute that kept Boise State from putting the match away. Tess Livingston and Sofia Wolf were composed in their first college appearances, and junior defender Daphne Egelhoff provided steady leadership throughout.
"I didn't doubt anyone's effort for a single second," Egelhoff said. "We had never played together in a D1 match, but everyone stepped up. I'm just so proud of this group."
The result marks an important early milestone for a program that finished at the bottom of the Big Sky standings last fall. It may not go in the win column, but the confidence it generated was undeniable.
"This is a glimpse of where this program is going," Downey said. "We tied the reigning Mountain West champions, and we're just getting started. Imagine what we look like when we're fully healthy and in rhythm."
This draw snaps a 5-match Boise State winning streak over Idaho State, and is the Bengals' first tie or win against BSU since 2015.
Next Up
Idaho State returns to Davis Field on Thursday, August 21st, to host the North Dakota State Bison at 7 p.m.
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