LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Idaho State women's soccer capped non-conference play with a commanding 2–0 victory over UNLV on Thursday night, behind goals from captains, Mary Za and Saydree Cooke. The Bengals showed control from the opening whistle and secured their first win over UNLV since 2000, and just the second in program history.
The win also marked Idaho State's first victory over a Mountain West opponent since 2023, when they defeated Wyoming 3–0 on the road.
"We had a dominant first half," said head coach Dustin Downey. "The girls did well to impose our style of play and tempo on the match. We looked focused and organized on both sides of the ball, which led to creating seven shots in the first half with four on frame. Going into the half 1–0 was deserved."
Za opened the scoring in the 20th minute after junior Saydree Cooke drove down the right wing and delivered a clean cross through traffic. Za calmly redirected the ball into the net for her third goal of the season, giving the Bengals a 1–0 lead they would not relinquish.
Just 2 minutes into the second half, Idaho State doubled its lead. Junior Stephanie Roper forced a turnover in the Runnin' Rebels box and fed the ball through to Saydree Cooke, who beat her defender and slotted home her second goal of the season to make it 2–0.
"We came out to start the second half and scored early off some good defensive pressure," Downey added. "The team continues to play hard for 90 minutes. That's been a core component of our success this season."
UNLV responded with late pressure, but Idaho State's back line stood tall, and freshman goalkeeper Hannah Wieler turned away two shots to earn her second shutout win of the season. Downey praised the defensive unit, noting the contributions of Daphne Egelhoff, who returned home to Henderson, Nevada, for the match.
"Congrats to Hannah and our back line for a shutout win," Downey said. "Daphne was great for us tonight in front of her family and friends."
With the result, the Bengals improved to 3–4–2 overall and finished non-conference play with momentum heading into Big Sky action.
Bengal Bites 🐯
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🏆 Historic Win – First win over UNLV since 2000, second all-time; first Mountain West win since 2023 at Wyoming.
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⚽ Za Delivers Again – Mary Za scored her 3rd goal of the season, tied for the team lead and top 10 in the Big Sky.
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🎯 Cooke Adds Insurance – Saydree Cooke netted her 2nd goal and added her 3rd assist of the season.
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🧤 Wieler's Clean Sheet – Freshman goalkeeper Hannah Wieler earned her 2nd shutout of the year.
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📈 Stat Leaders:
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Za ranks top 10 in the Big Sky in goals (3) and points per game.
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Cooke is top 5 in the league in assists (3), assists per game, and shots per game.
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ISU ranks 2nd in the Big Sky in assists (14) and 5th in total goals (11), surpassing last season's total (9) before conference play begins.
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🔒 Defensive Streak – Idaho State has allowed just 2 goals over their last 3 matches.
Up Next
Idaho State opens Big Sky play on Thursday, Sept. 25th, hosting rival Idaho under the lights at Davis Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
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