NIC ROUNDUP: No Snow problem ... Cardinal men upset No. 7 Snow

• MEN'S SOCCER

COEUR d’ALENE — After putting together a solid first 45 minutes, but falling to Utah State-Eastern on Thursday, 20th-ranked North Idaho College needed the full 90 on Saturday. 

Sophomore defender Nicolas Sanchez scored on an assist from freshman Leonardo Andrejic in the 70th minute as the Cardinals knocked off the No. 7 Snow Badgers 1-0 in a Scenic West Athletic Conference match at Eisenwinter Field on Saturday. 

“We needed that win,” said NIC coach Brad Williams, whose team had lost two straight. “We played really well in the first 45 minutes on Thursday (against Utah State-Eastern), but we didn’t complete the gameplan. Today, we really stuck to our guns in the second half. We didn’t change anything because we wanted to keep going with what was working.” 

Sanchez scored from 35 yards out to the top right corner for the lone goal for NIC (7-3, 3-2 SWAC). 

“We stayed very compact defensively,” Williams said. “We wanted to make sure we always had hard pressure on the ball. Sometimes, that piece is lacking, but we did it time and time again. It was definitely a battle today.” 

Snow is 6-2, 4-1. 

NIC hosts Salt Lake (2-2-4, 2-1-2) on Thursday at Eisenwinter Field. 

First half — none. Second half — 1, NIC, Nicolas Sanchez (Leonardo Andrejic), 70:48. 

Shots on goal — Snow 3, NIC 4. 

Saves — Snow, Mathias Christensen 3; NIC, Ariel Martinez 3. 

• WOMEN'S SOCCER

North Idaho 2 

Snow 2 

COEUR d’ALENE — Sophomore Serena Hand, the reigning Scenic West Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Week, has been playing hurt this week. With 13 saves on Saturday against 11th-ranked Snow, you might not realize it. 

“Serena, she’s got a sore quad, but she’s out there battling. She really kept us in the game today,” NIC coach Kellsi Parson said.

Sophomore Amy Smith scored an unassisted goal in the 86th minute for the Cardinals (3-3-2, 3-1-1 SWAC), who played to a conference draw with the Badgers (5-2-1, 3-1-1) at Eisenwinter Field. 

“We had some great conversations about where we wanted to go after Thursday’s match,” said Parson, whose team lost 3-2 to Utah State-Eastern at home. “I told them we have to have a winner’s mentality each time we step on the field. We started a lot better and grew more confident as the game went on.”

Snow scored just before halftime to take a 1-0 lead. The Badgers won all three matches via shutout last season. 

“These kids had a revenge mindset,” Parson said. “All of the sophomores that played wanted to prove something.” 

NIC hosts No. 3 Salt Lake (6-0-2, 4-0-1) on Thursday.

First half — 1, Snow, Saige Meryhew (Maci Nell), 45:00. Second half — 2, NIC, McKenzie White (Molly McClennan), 59:39. 3, Snow, Madi Thurgood (unassisted), 80:57. 4, NIC, Amy Smith (unassisted), 86:53. 

Shots on goal — Snow 15, NIC 6. 

Saves — Snow, Daisy Williams 4; NIC, Serena Hand 13.