On Saturday evening, the California State University, Northridge women's soccer team traveled to Moscow, Idaho, to face the University of Idaho in a tightly contested match at the iconic Kibbie Dome.
From the opening whistle the Vandals pressed hard, generating three shots in the first five minutes, two of which were blocked, while CSUN's Tori Peters saw her attempt denied by the defense.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Idaho's precise passing unlocked the Matadors' backline, allowing the Vandals to net the only goal of the game.
A decisive strike
Goalkeeper Hayden Mauldin rose to the occasion, recording a career‑high twelve saves, eight of them in the second half, including a spectacular block on a cross‑bar attempt by Hallie Prinos‑Grumbach in the 85th minute.
Idaho's offensive onslaught continued, tallying ten shots after halftime and forcing Mauldin into a flurry of saves during a six‑minute stretch that saw four consecutive stops.
Despite the pressure, CSUN managed to out‑shoot the Vandals 17‑8 overall and held a 13‑2 advantage in shots on goal, while corner kicks favored Idaho 7‑2.
The Matadors, featuring full‑time minutes from Jana Akins, Harper Curnutt, Sydney Lipkin, Michelle Monroy, Yasmin Azar and Siena Navarra, will look to rebound when they host Idaho State at the Matador Soccer Field on Thursday, August 20.