NAU Soccer Earns Big Sky Championship Berth After 1-0 Semi-Final Victory over Idaho

OGDEN, Utah (April 15, 2021) – Northern Arizona soccer is heading to the Big Sky Conference Championship match after defeating the Northwest No. 2 seed, Idaho, 1-0 in the first game of the tournament. This is the first time the Lumberjacks have earned a Big Sky finals bid since 2016.

"This has been what we've been going with all year – win every game that we play," head coach Kylie Louw said. "We approached today's game the same way: This is another game that we gotta win and want to win, and that's what got us to this place,"

The final round of the championship will be held Saturday, April 17 at 2:30 p.m. MST. The match is free to watch on both Pluto TV, Channel 1050, or at WatchBigSky.com. 

NAU will play the winner of the second match of the semifinals round. The No. 1 seed of the Northwest, Montana, will host the No. 2 seed from the Southeast, Northern Colorado, at 2 p.m. MST this afternoon in Ogden, Utah. 

"The championship will be a little different, but the goal remains the same," Louw said. "To win the game."

After a handball by the Vandals in the Idaho box, Northern Arizona was issued a penalty kick. In the 15th minute, Big Sky Co-Offensive MVP and Golden Boot recipient, Madison Montgomery, scored the first and only goal of the match, earning NAU it's 1-0 advantage going into the second half. 

The Lumberjacks held onto their lead throughout the remaining 75 minutes of the match, not allowing the Vandals to score despite their second half offensive push.

In the first half, Northern Arizona outshot Idaho 8-4. The Vandals responded in the second half by limiting the 'Jacks to two shots and pushing its own count up to 6. 

Half of the six shots by Idaho were on goal, forcing NAU's senior goalkeeper, Taryn Benham, to make three saves through the latter half. With the 1-0 shutout win, Benham pushes the all-time NAU clean sheet record to 23. 

"That's one of the areas we're still growing in," Louw said. "It's just having the confidence to come back and give the same performance we had in the first half into the second half."

It was the first Big Sky Conference tournament match for freshmen Grace Quinn, Maddie Shafer, Victoria Pucci and sophomore Kalea Gurfield with the four combining for 100 minutes in the match. Shafer started the match, leading the team with four shot attempts including one on goal.

"It feels great, and it's absolutely amazing and deserving for the players. They have grinded and done everything we have asked them to do. I think today, our performance really showed that," Louw said.