Your future, our focus
The Northwest College soccer teams went a combined 3-1 in their first four conference matches last week. The men broke even and the Trapper women went 2-0 during a two-game Region IX homestand.
The NWC men opened with a 3-1 loss to upstart Sheridan on Sept. 2, but rebounded for a 3-1 win against the Western Wyoming Mustangs on Friday.
Northwest (2-1 overall, 1-1 Region IX) travels to Colorado for a pair of games this weekend.
Undefeated Otero (3-0, 1-0) hosts the Trappers at 11 a.m. on Friday, and Trinidad State (3-2, 1-0) awaits Northwest’s arrival for a 3 p.m. game on Saturday.
A trio of second-half goals in a 13-minute span lifted the men over the Mustangs for their first Region IX win of the season.
Western scored eight minutes into the game but was shut out and held to just three more shots on goal in the rest of the match.
Freshman Camdin Hinkel tied the game at 1-1 in the 65th minute off a pass from freshman Felix Pastenes.
Northwest totaled 13 shots on goal.
Sophomore Javier Sanchez scored the go-ahead goal just five minutes later, and then set up sophomore Ryan Montgomery’s insurance goal in the 78th minute.
Northwest managed only eight shots on goal, but had five second-half corner kicks.
The win was a complete reverse of Wednesday’s region opener.
The Trappers got out to a 1-0 lead early in the second half, but conceded three goals in eight minutes to fall to the Generals 3-1.
Hill said Northwest’s effort wasn’t strong enough to win.
“We seemed to lack that fire we need,” he said. “We got what we deserved. We didn’t deserve a result.”
The coach said his team didn’t elevate its play until its back was against the wall, at which point it was too late.
“It wasn’t until we were 3-1 down with three minutes left on the clock that we had any sense of urgency,” Hill said. “It was like we were on cruise.”
Freshman Luis Cisneros scored in the 53rd minute to break the scoreless tie. Sophomore Patrick Hunter got the assist.
The lead lasted for all of 16 minutes.
The Generals scored in the 70th, 71st and 78th minute in a furious eight minutes of soccer that decided the fortunes of the match.
“It was a good littler period for them,” Hill said, adding he believes Sheridan is a team on the rise. “They were a lot better than the year before.”
Northwest managed just a single goal despite outshooting Sheridan 14-9.
Snyder started the game and was replaced at half by sophomore Alex Basulto.
“(Snyder’s) been playing well but we just felt that it was a game we wanted to bring Alex in,” Hill said. “I didn’t want to leave Alex out. I need him to get some game time and build his confidence a little bit.”
WOMEN SHUT OUT WWCC
It wasn’t a fluke.
The Northwest College women’s soccer team followed a stunning 2-1 comeback win over Sheridan on Sept. 2 with a 2-0 shutout of Western Wyoming on Friday.
Jillian Vigil scored in the 37th minute and Taylor Meeks added another goal in the 65th to keep the good times rolling for the Trappers (2-1 overall, 2-0 Region IX).
The Trappers peppered the Mustangs’ net with 18 shots on goal, and conceded only four shots on goal.
Rachel Orchard led with six shots on goal, while Meeks had five and Vigil managed four.
Freshman keeper Raven Johnson was needed sparingly, but made the saves when called upon and maintained the clean sheet.
Northwest travels to Colorado for a pair of Region IX matches this weekend.
The Trappers take on Otero (1-2-1, 1-1) at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, and Trinidad State (2-2, 0-2) at 1 p.m. on Saturday.