The report says Idaho tore into the match almost immediately.
That kind of start can rattle any team, but especially one still settling into a new era. Washington State appears to have been punished for defensive hesitation and a lack of authority in the air, while Idaho looked sharp, direct and emotionally charged from the first whistle.
There was also a human edge to the night. Jeremy Clevenger said, “I think they wanted to get the win for me a little bit and they showed up,” after a day that reportedly began with the birth of his son, Beau. That detail matters because opening games often turn on emotion as much as structure, and Idaho seems to have played with both.
Chiarelli underlined that sense of togetherness. “I think we did just that today,” she said, after the pre-match message reportedly centred on family. For a side expected to be among the stronger teams in the Big Sky, that blend of belief and organisation is exactly what a coach wants to see early.
Citowicki’s other line was the most revealing: “If this is what it looks like in October, I’ll punch myself in the face. But it won’t because I know they’re going to improve.” It was blunt, but it also sounded like perspective. One poor night does not define a season, just as one big win does not complete it.
The next test is whether Idaho can carry this energy into its home date with Cal State Northridge, and whether Washington State responds quickly against South Florida. That is the next storyline: was this a one-off shock, or the first sign of something bigger?