By Miles Montgomery
The Colorado College women’s soccer team traveled to Boise, Idaho and Logan, Utah last weekend for their set of Mountain West Conference games.
The Tigers split the pair of away matches, toppling Mountain West Conference leader Boise State University on Friday before falling to last place at Utah State University on Sunday. The 1-0 win against Boise State on Friday was the program’s first in four years.
On Friday night, forward Jacqui Hand ’22 provided the only goal the Tigers needed when she latched onto a perfectly weighted through ball from midfielder Hailee Rasmussen ’23 and dispatched her team-leading ninth goal of the season past the hapless Boise State goalkeeper.
Goalkeeper Molly Hiniker ’20 made seven saves on the other end — shutting out a usually strong Boise State forward line.
“The Boise State game was an example of what we have wanted to do all season,” Hiniker said. “We felt a lot of pressure going into the game with time running out on our season, but we played the best and the loosest we have played all season. In my four seasons here, I have never been more proud of my team than I was on Friday.”
Unfortunately, the Tigers were not able to capitalize on the momentum they built on Friday — they suffered a tough loss to the Utah State Aggies, 3-0.
Utah State struck twice in the first five minutes after halftime, quelling any hopes of a Tiger comeback.
Forward Adelaide Gaffney ’23 led the Tigers with two shots on goal, while Hiniker made three saves on the defensive end.
“Utah State came out hard on Sunday,” midfielder and forward Coley Lyubenko ’21 said. “They scored one and then we regrouped and contained them for the rest of the half, but they managed to grab two quick goals right after halftime, and we didn’t have an answer. Unfortunately, that’s the way the game goes, but we are looking forward to our game this weekend against Air Force and hope to redeem ourselves.”
The Tigers are in need of both a win against Air Force this Friday in Colorado Springs at 6 p.m. and favorable results across the conference in order to make the Mountain West Conference tournament on Nov. 5.