Your future, our focus
Have Won Three Straight
The Northwest Trappers men’s soccer team kicked its offense into gear as it won two games by a combined score of 11-2 over the weekend.
The Trappers (6-4-3. 3-1-3) beat Northeastern Junior College 4-0 Saturday and Western Nebraska 7-2 Sunday for just their second two-game win streak of the season.
Northwest’s Sunday victory came after falling behind 0-2 and losing keeper Lewis Kirtley to a strained quad midway through the first half.
Starting goaltender Erik Wehse was injured Friday while training but should be back in action Wednesday against Sheridan.
Northwest was out of keepers and turned to defense man Marcus Couldridge, who threw on the keeper’s jersey, stepped in the goalie’s box and stopped all four shots he faced.
Coach Rob Hill said it’s the first time in his 15 years of coaching he had to put a non-keeper in goal.
Couldridge told the coach he had some experience playing goalie in youth soccer and would be game to give it a shot if need be.
“I knew he (Couldridge) wouldn’t be mentally rattled by that,” Hill said. “He’s also got the height as well. It’s not ideal but he didn’t concede, so that’s a bonus.”
Even if Couldridge did concede a goal the Trappers would have been in good shape.
Northwest came back from an 0-2 deficit to lead 3-2 at the half and then scored another four goals in the second half to pull away from the Cougars.
Hill said his team showed great mental toughness to fight back.
“We just got caught off-guard and the way they responded was exactly what we’ve been looking for,” Hill said. “We’ve turned the corner in some respects. They just never quit playing.”
Gage Woodward got a hat trick to lead the Trappers’ offense. The sophomore scored three goals and added an assist.
Sophomore Wyatt Fabrizio scored two goals on four shots, and freshman Cedric Omeragie had three assists.
Sophomore Matt Frost and sophomore Will Moats both scored one goal.
The blowout win followed a 4-0 shutout against the Northeastern Plainsmen Saturday.
“We really out-passed them and out-possessed them,” Hill said.
Tempers between the teams seemed to have settled since they last played Sept. 14 in Sterling, Colo. The 2-1 Northwest win was marred with physical play, much of which Hill deemed excessive.
“We talked a lot about keeping your emotions in check and being emotionally tough and mentally tough,” Hill said. “We let the soccer do the talking.”
Omeragie scored twice and Woodward and Kevin Fekete each scored once. Moats assisted on the first three goals and Lowndes assisted on Woodward’s.
Sophomore defenseman Jake Higginbotham got his first game action of the season after returning from an injury.
“He was exceptional over the two games,” Hill said. “He really brought some strength and leadership back there.”
Hill said the men’s play this weekend will help lift the team’s spirits and possibly start a nice run as the season winds down.
“We lost to Trinidad, we lost to (Otero), we tied with Western Wyoming, so I’d say morale was definitely affected,” Hill said.
“We had a two-hour meeting this last week and I think we ironed out a lot of those problems,” he said. “We knew this home stretch would be important for seeding in regional play.”
Four of the Trappers’ final five games will be played at Northwest College.
Northwest will travel to Sheridan Wednesday to take on the Generals. The Trappers played the Generals to a 2-2 tie Sept. 11.
The men are back at home on Friday to host Trinidad College at 3 p.m.