POCATELLO, Idaho – The Idaho State Bengals extended their winning streak in style, defeating Portland State 3-2 in double-overtime Friday afternoon at Davis Field for their third-straight win. Junior midfielder
Katherine Roberts put the game away in the 107th minute, finding the cross from sophomore
Nikolina Musto and heading the ball past PSU's last line of defense.
"[Katherine] is such an incredible player, and such an unselfish player," Head Coach
Allison Gibson said. "She's been really hard on herself these last couple of weeks for not putting the ball in the back of the net. I told her, 'You're going to score when it counts…'. Obviously that was a huge goal for her today."
Roberts finished the contest with a game-high eight shots with two on goal as 10 Bengals registered a shot with four taking four or more.
Portland State (3-9-1, 1-3-1 BSC) cut Idaho State (6-9-0, 3-2-0 BSC) early as Krystal de Ramos ran onto a pass form Katie Forsee in the 15th minute, sidestepped ISU's advancing goalkeeper
Shawna Hennings and placed the ball into the back of the net. Idaho State was unable to overtake PSU's last line of defense and headed into halftime facing a 1-0 deficit.
In the second half, Idaho State found an opening in the 60th minute as Musto fired a bomb from outside the 18-yard box on the far right side of the field, catching the Vikings' goalkeeper Abbie Faingold off guard. Musto's shot sailed right into the top left corner of the goal, tying the game 1-1.
Seven minutes later in the 67th minute, PSU's Maxine Nagramada found Aurora Bodenhamer who kicked the ball up and over Hennings and into the back of the goal to give Portland State the lead. Idaho State was unable to break down PSU's back line for nearly 20 minutes until freshman
Michaela Didericksen rebounded a missed shot and fired from 10 yards out into the back right corner for the equalizer. For the remaining five minutes of regulation, neither team was able to score forcing overtime.
After a scoreless first overtime the pressure was on for the Bengals, and Roberts delivered with her game-winning goal in the 107th minute, giving the Bengals the 3-2 double-overtime victory.
"We've turned our entire focus in training to finishing," Gibson said. "Sometimes you have a focus and it doesn't always come to fruition, but for this group, they are taking what we're giving them and really running with it. This is one of the best teams that I've coached as far as work rate and buy-in. They are going to do everything we ask them to do."
Idaho State is back in action this Sunday, Oct. 9 in Sacramento, Calif. to take on the Hornets of Sacramento State at 2 p.m. MST.
