The eighth-ranked North Idaho College men's soccer team played to a 2-2 draw against Utah State-Eastern on Thursday at Castleview Hospital Soccer Field. According to a October 23 report, the result means the Cardinals must win or draw their next match to host the Region 18 Championships.
Freshman Jabari Holtkamp and sophomore Ivan Leon scored for the Cardinals during the match. Despite taking a 2-0 lead, the team allowed two second-half goals to Noah Heil of Utah State-Eastern. NIC coach Brad Williams noted that the team made errors that allowed the opponent to score and mentioned that rain during the match made play difficult. The game was moved up three hours due to a threat of lightning in the area.
The men's team currently holds a 15-0-3 record and an 11-0-2 record in the Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC). They are scheduled to face fourth-ranked Salt Lake on Saturday. NIC currently leads Salt Lake by three points in the conference standings. A draw on Saturday would clinch the conference title for NIC and allow them to host the Region 18 Championships on Oct. 29 and 31. If Salt Lake wins, the tournaments will be held in Herriman, Utah.
The women's 17th-ranked North Idaho College team lost 3-0 to Utah State-Eastern at Castleview Hospital Soccer Field, which knocked them out of the fourth and final playoff spot. The Cardinals' women's team travels to 12th-ranked Salt Lake on Saturday for the regular season finale. To advance to the Region 18 Tournament, the women need a win and a home loss by Utah State-Eastern against Pacific Northwest Christian.
The men's teams previously met Salt Lake to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 26 in Worley.
