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Penalty Kick In OT Eliminates Trappers
A split-second decision led to a penalty kick and the imminent end of the Northwest College men’s soccer team’s season on Saturday.
The Trappers lost in overtime 1-0 in the first round of the Region IX Tournament to Utah State University Eastern after a penalty kick accounted for the game’s only goal.
NWC keeper Nate Snyder was given a red card in the seventh minute of the extra period, and replacement keeper Alex Basulto couldn’t stop the ensuing Golden Eagle penalty kick.
Northwest (6-10) head coach Rob Hill said it was a borderline penalty call by the referee, but the Trappers undid themselves with poor discipline around Utah’s goal.
“The guys definitely worked harder. There was glimpses of what we saw in the early parts of September,” Hill said. “But nothing more than you’d expect from a team. They met that requirement, they met that standard. I know they wanted to win. But when you don’t have conviction around the box, you’re just not going to score.”
The Trappers were credited with just two shots on goal, and another try hit the crossbar.
“It doesn’t matter if you have 99 percent possession if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net,” Hill said.
Northwest finished the season on a nine-game losing streak in which they scored just six goals.
Yet, in the end, it was the team’s defense that made the costliest error.
Utah chipped the ball over the heads of the Trapper defense and sent a Golden Eagles forward on a run against Snyder, who was forced to come out of the box and challenge the attack.
“There’s question marks about whether or not it was in or outside the box,” Hill said. “The kid fell inside the box ... either way, it was given. And for Alex, not warmed up, and all of a sudden he has to make a save like that. It’s almost impossible.”
The red card was Snyder’s second in three games, and he earned a yellow card in the other. But Hill said Snyder is being penalized for the mistakes of the Trappers’ defense.
“He’s an aggressive keeper, but it’s not out of control,” Hill said. “He’s been put in bad situations. The players in front of him have put him in a bad spot. And unfortunately, being a goalkeeper, it’s the hardest position when you have a forward bearing down on you.
“I’d rather him commit and go for it. Even if he makes the wrong decisions I’d rather him make one than not,” Hill said.
Snyder made five saves before being ejected.
A sluggish start to the match caused Hill to pull the trigger on three first-half subs, which resulted in an increased tempo and more ball control for the Trappers.
“We were in their half for 90 percent of the end of the first half,” Hill said. “Second half, again, we had the lion’s share of the possession. But we never had the desire or intensity to score. We certainly had chances, but just felt like we lacked the killer conviction and it was just a sad end to the season.”
Hill said the 0-9 finish to the year leaves him no choice but to reflect on the program and the blueprint he’s followed — often to great success — for so long.
“Without a win in October, it was very humbling,” Hill said. “From my own perspective it was a good learning experience. It’s going to make our program better. Even though in the short term it’s tough to swallow.”
Hill said he will be forced to rethink how he and his program operates, and he’s actually excited about a fresh start.
“It was an unfortunate way to end it, but I feel more positive,” Hill said. “Last year, I felt kind of down about it. But this year I’m like, ‘OK, I’m pumped for what’s going to come.’”