NIC SOCCER: Cardinals muddy it up with CSI in home opener

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COEUR d’ALENE — A number of things could have taken North Idaho College out of the match.

Sloppy conditions.

An early deficit from a penalty kick.

The mud on Eisenwinter Field.

Freshman Mouhamed Fadel Fall converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute to give the Cardinals the lead for good in a 3-1 win over the College of Southern Idaho in Scenic West Athletic Conference play, the first matchup between the two schools after the Golden Eagles of Twin Falls started their program this fall.

CSI took a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick in the 17th minute, but NIC scored the final three goals — all in the first half — for its seventh straight win.

“It was a war,” NIC coach Brad Williams said. “They were fighting until the end. We could have put our heads down, but we rose up and played hard. We showed some resilience to come back and score.”

Due to rain the previous night, and rain early in the game, the field became muddy early on.

“It was really tough for both teams and we had to play more in the air than we normally do,” Williams said. “We had a lot of quality chances. We’re extremely happy to start the rivalry with CSI in the right direction and get that win.”

NIC (7-0, 2-0 SWAC) hosts Truckee Meadows of Reno, Nev., on Saturday.

CSI is 1-2-1, 1-1.

First half — 1, CSI, Amin Ahssain (penalty kick), 17:00. 2, NIC, Daniel Gutierrez (unassisted), 33:00. 3, NIC, Mouhamed Fadel Fall (penalty kick), 40:13. 4, NIC, Daniel Lehman (Rayan Barbachi), 45:00. Second half — none.

Shots on goal — CSI 1, NIC 7.

Saves — CSI, Angel Navarette 4; NIC, Kael McGowan 1.

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Southern Idaho 3

North Idaho 1

COEUR d’ALENE — Ali Ellsworth, a freshman from Bonneville High in Idaho Falls, scored on an assist from freshman forward McKenzie White to even the match at 1-1 in the 20th minute for the Cardinals, but the visiting Golden Eagles countered a little over a minute later and went on to take the Scenic West Athletic Conference contest at Eisenwinter Field.

It was the first matchup between the in-state rivals after CSI started its program this fall.

Kenna Fransen scored twice, the second assisted by Moscow’s Jessika Lassen, for CSI (3-1, 2-0 SWAC).

NIC (2-2-1, 1-1) hosts Truckee Meadows of Reno, Nev., on Saturday.

First half — 1, CSI, Kenna Fransen (unassisted), 3:48. 2, NIC, Ali Ellsworth (McKenzie White), 20:42. 3, CSI, Itzel Hernandez (Jenimar Briceno), 21:58. Second half — 4, CSI, Fransen (Jessika Lassen), 55:46.

Shots on goal — CSI 7, NIC 6.

Saves — CSI, Kirstine Kent 5; NIC, Serena Hand 4.

    Courtesy photo North Idaho College freshman forward Alvine Dah-Zossu battles for position with a CSI player during the first half of Thursday's Scenic West Athletic Conference match at Eisenwinter Field.