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College of Idaho’s Jamie Reichel (16) and Evergreen’s Nina Hinton (15) battle for possession of the ball in Friday afternoon in the Coyotes home game at Simplot Stadium.
Greg Kreller/IPT
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Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com
Saturday, September 26th, 2009

CALDWELL — Friday proved to be very unique for Taylor Culver as the sophomore from Skyview pulled off a pretty rare feat on the soccer field.

With the score already 1-0 in the Coyotes favor, Culver blasted home a shot from the top of the goal box for the College of Idaho in the eighth minute of play, then switched rolls in the second half, playing goalie in the Yotes 5-0 win over Evergreen State.

"It's pretty unique," she said. "I'm pretty glad I stepped up to do this for our team 'cause we needed it, we needed someone to do it for us."

Culver and Kelly Hardegree-Ullman got the chance to get some game experience in goal, as the Yotes' backups, and shared the shutout each playing a half.

Neither needed to make a save, though, as the Geoducks (1-2-4, 0-1 Cascade) managed just one threat all afternoon, that coming off the second of consecutive corner kicks in the 71st minute.

Brianna Speed's corner found Marissa Major in the Yote box and she headed the chance towards goal, but the C of I's Justine Hawkins deflected the shot wide.

"Our goalkeepers did fantastic today," Coyote coach Niki Taylor said, "and our back-line did well, they didn't give up anything soft in the final third and that's what we talked about.

"The goalkeepers were confident and it was good to see them get a shutout."

Also good was the way the Yote offense took control right from the start in the Cascade Conference opener for both teams.

Add in the fact the Yotes (6-1, 1-0) were playing their first official game at their new home, Simplot Stadium, and that it was homecoming, and there were plenty of chances to be distracted.

"We've talked about that a lot the last couple years, that when we're at home and there's family and they're just getting out of classes that they really need to take a deep breath and push all that stuff aside and get the job done on the field," Taylor said. "So they did a great job."

Erika Mouritsen got things started, heading home a Lauren Winterholler corner in the fifth minute before Culver made it 2-0.

Jessica Ayala then put home a cross from Kaitlyn Smith in the 53rd minute, icing the win early in the second half before Colleen Smith headed home another Winterholler corner with 7 minutes left and Jordan Huttash scored inside 5 minutes to play, capping the rout.

The key to a balanced C of I offense?

"We're just passing well and seeing those open spaces for our players," Culver said.

C of I 1, Evergreen St. 1

CALDWELL — Spencer Ward scored with 17 seconds left, lifting the College of Idaho men's soccer team to a draw with Evergreen State in Cascade Conference action.

The tie stretches the Coyotes (2-2-1, 2-0-1 Cascade) unbeaten streak in regular season league games to 14 straight.