Weber State University Athletics
Weber State University
Idaho State
WSU Claims Regular Season Title with Win Over ISU
11/1/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
OGDEN, Utah -- The Weber State women's soccer team (8-9-2 overall; 5-2 Big Sky) took full advantage of the opportunity presented, downing Idaho State 2-0 to claim the Big Sky Conference regular season championship at Wildcat Soccer Field on Saturday.
After early possession by the Bengals (3-12-4; 2-3-3), Weber State turned the field around and began to generate some chances. In the 15th minute, Hayley McCoy knocked back a goal kick, finding forward Whitney Smith, who won the ball and chipped a shot to the right post. The shot beat ISU goalkeeper Maren Eves-Williams to give WSU the early lead.
In the 19th minute, McCoy started another scoring run. McCoy took the ball at the center circle and found Smith on a diagonal run to the left side. Smith chased the ball down and fired a cross to the right post. Molli Neilson and Collette Simmons both crashed the goal, with Neilson getting on the end of the play for the score.
Idaho State out-shot the 'Cats on the day 16 to 13, but the Bengals struggled to get many good looks and managed only four shots on-goal. The Wildcats, meanwhile, put 10 shots on-goal.
ISU had two great opportunities not go their way that could have changed the complexion of the game. In the seventh minute, Lauren Ryan had a shot from 10 shots out go off the crossbar and over the goal. Then, in the 49th minute, Annamarie Hofstetter fired a ball from 30 yards out to the upper left corner. The ball richocheted off the post and hit a diving WSU goalkeeper Rebecca Ritchie. The ball fell in front of Ritchie and she was able to secure it.
Ritchie totaled four saves on the day for her seventh shutout of the season. Eves-Williams recorded eight saves for Idaho State.
The win gives Weber State its fifth regular season conference title all-time. The 'Cats will host the conference postseason tournament in Ogden on Thursday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 8.
The Wildcats dropped a chance to clinch the conference title back a week ago with a 1-0 loss to Sacramento State, but regained another shot when Portland State tied with the Hornets on Friday.
