Cowgirls Battle to Scoreless Draw at Boise State
The Wyoming Cowgirls opened Mountain West Conference play on Thursday with a hard-fought 0-0 tie against Boise State at the Boas Soccer Complex.
The result bumps Wyoming’s record to 5-2-3 overall and 0-0-1 in league play, while the Broncos move to 2-3-5 and also 0-0-1 in conference action.
“We feel like we left a little more on the table than just a point, but getting a result in this environment is something you’ll take,” head coach Josh Purdum said. “Boise makes the game hectic, competitive, and physical. We’ll gladly take the point, but we also know we can finish matches like this moving forward.”
The draw was significant for Wyoming, as it snapped a four-match losing streak in Boise. The Cowgirls’ last positive result on the road against the Broncos came back in 2014, and Boise State had won eight straight in the all-time series.
The Broncos edged Wyoming 15-11 in total shots, but the Cowgirls found their rhythm after halftime. Wyoming nearly doubled its first-half shot count with seven after the break and swung the momentum on set pieces as well, taking nine of the game’s final 11 corner kicks.
“We bent but didn’t break early on, and as the game progressed, we grew into it,” Purdum said. “By the second half, we were more confident and able to play quicker once we adjusted to the slick surface and what Boise was throwing at us.”
Maddie Burr, Jennah Wanner, Alisa Bunn, and Erin Dahl each recorded two shots to lead Wyoming’s attack. Between the posts, goalkeeper Haley Bartel once again came up strong, posting her sixth shutout of the season and 16th of her career with five key saves.
Boise State’s Madie Donovan paced the Broncos with four shots, while keeper Ava De Leest made three saves to preserve the clean sheet.
The Cowgirls continue their road swing on Sunday with a matchup against defending Mountain West Tournament champion Utah State. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Chuck & Gloria Bell Soccer Field in Logan
.