Soccer wins Big Sky regular-season title with 7-2 victory over Idaho State

Tuesday, October 26

Greeley, CO

Noon MT

University of Northern Colorado

10-7-2, 8-1-0

Idaho State University

2-16-1, 2-7-0

Idaho St.

Northern Colo.

10/26/2021 3:03:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: By Thomas Hoffman, UNCBears.com

GREELEY, Colo. – A flurry of second-half goals which included enterprising performances up and down the Northern Colorado roster handed UNC an emphatic 7-2 win over Idaho State, securing the Big Sky regular-season title and the all-important No. 1 overall seed in next week's conference tournament.

UNC soccer is nothing if not exciting.

On a blustery afternoon at Jackson Stadium, both teams sensed the opportunity to create chances.

Both Taylor Bray and Lexi Pulley, who each found the back of the net on Sunday, were presented early goalscoring opportunities but were unable to finish them off.

It was Idaho State who broke the deadlock in the 21^st minute to take the lead.

Tim Barrera's squad didn't panic, though. Just like on Sunday against Weber State, the resilient group of Bears turned its attention toward goal.

As Lucy Roberts sprinted down the left side in the 34^th minute, her cross hit the feet of Sydney Engelkins who laid it off perfectly to Cara Quinn. Quinn neatly slotted home the goal to tie the game at one.

Though Idaho State retook the lead in the 40^th minute, it only took UNC three minutes to retaliate.

This time it was Britney Donais finding space on the right side. Her speed was too much for the Bengal defense as the junior delivered a tantalizing cross for Ashley Hillman to tuck in her first goal of the season.

At the halftime whistle, Northern Colorado owned all the momentum and It didn't take long for UNC to find the go-ahead goal in the second half.

Haley O'Nan took her turn in the right channel. The Aurora, Colorado native turned inside, found Melina Faris who made no mistake to give her team its first lead of the match.

Lead in hand, Northern Colorado never looked back.

Twice, Lexi Pulley found the back of the net. Once on an inch-perfect corner from Olivia Seddon in the 66^th minute and another from Lucy Roberts in the 68^th.

Freshman Lauren Woodhull wanted in the party in the 79^th minute. Going top-corner from O'Nan's cross, Woodhull bagged her third goal of the season.

Carly Fetters jumped into the action as the Northern Colorado substitutes continued to press forward. Sydney Engelkins, who piled up her third assist of the afternoon, slyly back-heeled Morgan King's cross to let Fetters tap it in from close range.

As the seconds counted down, a thunderous 7-2 victory was more than enough for UNC to nab its first Big Sky regular-season title since 2011 and first-ever outright since joining the conference in 2006.

What They Said
Taylor Bray, Cara Quinn, Maddie Duren and head coach Tim Barrera

Game Notes

Northern Colorado secured its first Big Sky regular-season title since 2011 and first-ever outright title since joining the conference in 2006.
Lexi Pulley scored her 10^th and 11^th goals of the season and finishes with a conference-leading eight Big Sky goals.
Cara Quinn, Caly Fetters and Ashley Hillman each scored their first goals of the season.
Lauren Woodhull dialed up her third goal of the season.
Sydney Engelkins led all Bears with three assists.
Olivia Seddon, Haley O'Nan, Lucy Hart, Lucy Roberts, Morgan King and Britney Donais all recorded one assist.

What's Ahead
Northern Colorado will host the Big Sky Conference Tournament in the friendly confines of Jackson Stadium Nov. 3-7. The No. 1 seeded Bears earn a first-round bye and will face the winner of the No. 4 and No. 5 seed on Friday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m. MT.

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