Sayler Schlosser scored a header in the 69th minute to lead No. 1 Weber State past No. 4 Idaho in the Big Sky semifinal on Friday. The 1-0 victory in Missoula, Montana, secures the Wildcats' spot in the conference championship final for the second consecutive season.
The winning goal occurred after Weber State junior Oakley Anderson sent a ball from the right corner that was met by Idaho defender Mirabella Bickham. The ball deflected into the air, allowing Schlosser to outjump Idaho keeper Paula Flores to send the ball across the line.
Weber State head coach Kyle Christensen said following the match that the team deserved the fortuitous goal after creating the majority of opportunities in the second half. The victory avenges a 1-1 regular-season draw between the two teams from six weeks ago.
Idaho struggled to generate offense, failing to record a shot on goal until Schlosser's goal. While the Vandals attempted three long-range shots in the final 20 minutes, Weber State goalkeeper Lauren Butorac caught all of them.
Lily Blum, the Big Sky golden boot winner, saw her streak of scoring in eight consecutive matches end during the match against Idaho.
Schlosser's participation follows a legal dispute regarding eligibility. After obtaining a temporary restraining order from Utah's Second District Court on Oct. 2, Schlosser's eligibility was subject to extensions until Nov. 10. On Tuesday, Judge Jason Nelson ruled in favor of Schlosser for a preliminary injunction that remains in force until a final judgment is reached.
Weber State will face No. 2 Northern Colorado in the Big Sky tournament final at 1 p.m. Sunday. Northern Colorado advanced to the final after defeating No. 3 Northern Arizona 2-0 on Friday.
