Calvin Jensen, Sports Information Director, Utah State Eastern
Utah State Eastern men’s soccer team pulled off an impressive 3-2 comeback victory over No. 11-ranked North Idaho College on the road.
The Eagles opened the scoring in the 20th minute when midfielder Brennen Lamont found the back of the net, thanks to an assist from Dodi Makassa. North Idaho responded quickly, with Richard Bollanga scoring two crucial goals before halftime, first at the 39:42 mark and again in the final moments of the half with a chip shot set up by Rayan Berbachi. Bollanga’s brace gave North Idaho a 2-1 lead going into the break.
In the second half, Eastern came out strong, determined to turn the game around. Defender Davis Bormanis leveled the match in the 55th minute with a well-placed unassisted goal. Both teams battled intensely as the clock ticked down, but it was Utah State Eastern that found the winning goal. With just over three minutes left in regulation, Boston Peterson capitalized on a setup from Owen Gaisford to secure the 3-2 victory.
Utah State Eastern’s goalkeeper, Thiago Moreira, was crucial in maintaining the lead, making two key saves and shutting down North Idaho in the second half. Meanwhile, North Idaho’s goalkeeper, Kael McGowan, also made three saves but couldn’t keep Easter’s attack at bay in the closing moments of the game.
USU Eastern (6-6-3, 6-4-2) will play their remaining two conference matchups on the road as they first take on the College of Southern Idaho (6-8, 5-7) on Thursday, October 24 at 3:30 p.m. in Twin Falls, Idaho. Fans can watch the game live on the Scenic West Digital Network.