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Soccer beats LaTech 2-1 earns berth in WAC tournament
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The Boise State soccer team clinched a berth in the 2006 Western Athletic Conference tournament with a 2-1 win over Louisiana Tech Sunday. The tournament will be held at University of Nevada’s Mackey Stadium in Reno, Nev. The tournament features the top six WAC teams: Fresno State, San Jose State, Utah State, Nevada, Hawaii and Boise State.
This will be the first time the team has gone to the WAC tournament in consecutive seasons since the inaugural soccer season in 1998. The team participated in the conference tournament in 2001, 2003 and 2005.
After losing 1-0 in double overtime against the Utah State Aggies Friday, the Broncos got off to a good start Sunday scoring on a shot by senior Annie Tom 18 minutes into the game. The goal marks her fourth tally of the year.
The Lady Techsters answered in the 35 minutes when sophomore midfielder Amy Wolsted headed the ball past BSU keeper Kim Parker to tie the game at 1-1.
The Broncos regained the lead with 6:46 left in the first half. Senior midfielder Brennan Lau used her speed to get past La Tech defender Candace Novak. Novak then fouled Lau in the penalty box. Nicole Coleman hit the post on the ensuing penalty, but the Broncos regained possession of the ball. Lau passed the ball to sophomore forward Randi Baker who beat Lady Techster goalkeeper Jill Medigovich with a shot to the upper left corner.
Boise State was in control of the game for the entire second half, not allowing a single shot by the Lady Techsters. The Broncos out-shot the La Tech 11-3 in shots on goal for the entire contest, but only managed to score on two of them.
“I’d like to have four more of those go in,” BSU Head Soccer Coach Steve Lucas said. “We gotta score goals, it’s that simple.”
Following the game BSU would have to wait for the outcome of Hawaii’s Sunday night game at Fresno State, which would determine whether BSU finished fifth or sixth in the WAC final standings.
Prior to the game the team held a ceremony to say goodbye to six seniors on “Senior Day.” Annie Tom, Kim Parker, Molly McDonald, Kristin Hall, Brennan Lau and Nicole Coleman were honored for their accomplishments in the program before their last game at the BOAS Soccer and Tennis Complex.
Tom, a Mililani, Haw., native – scored her fifth career goal Friday. Tom is raked No. 14 all time at Boise State for career points (16) and 12 for matches played (67). Tom is a three-time WAC all-academic team honoree.
“I’ve been playing soccer since I was really little and it’s kind of hard to end it all in this next coming week,” Tom said. “It felt really good to score a goal [today]. Since I hardly scored in my previous years, my senior year was pretty good.”
Lau, the Broncos’ top scorer in 2006 (10 points) has been a four- year starter for the team. She recorded 25 points (10 goals, four assists) in 73 matches and ranks fifth all-time in matches played at BSU and ninth in goals. Lau is a two-time WAC all-academic team honoree. Lau said leaving the team marks a bittersweet moment in her life.
“I’m excited to start doing new things, but I’ll always miss the team aspect of it,” Lau said. “I’m very happy [with how my senior season went]. I had a lot of fun.”
Parker, of Portland, Ore., has set Boise State records for career goals against average (1.46), solo shutouts (10), combined shutouts (18) and wins in goal (25).
She is a three-time WAC all-academic team honoree.
Coleman started in 42 of the 71 matches she played. The midfielder was named to the WAC all-academic team in 2005. She scored six career goals and recorded 11 assists to move her into third place for assists in the BSU record books.
Hall has been a four-year starter for the Broncos. She recorded 13 goals and seven assists in 76 matches. She currently ranks first in matches played, sixth in points and is tied for fifth in goals.
McDonald, of Maple Valley, Wash. has been a three-year starter for Boise State, earning 61 starts in 71 matches. She recorded four goals and three assists for 11 points. McDonald is a two-time WAC all-academic team honoree.
Boise State started the season 4-1 only to see its record slip to 6-7-3 before Friday’s game. The Broncos are looking for their third consecutive winning season, the fourth in five years. The Broncos improved their record to 7-7-3 with the win over Louisiana Tech and need one more win at the WAC Tournament to secure a winning record.
“Our goal is to make it to the tournament and our next goal is to advance in it,” Lucas said. “It’s not about our record now. We struggled at times and thought we had one taken away from us Friday, but we rebounded and played well today. [Going into the tournament] there are no records. We don’t know who we’re playing, but we can compete with whoever we’re playing against and that’s all that matters.”
The winner of the WAC tournament will receive an automatic bid for the NCAA tournament. There will be no at-large bids in the NCAA tournament for WAC teams.
ANDREAS KREUTZER
