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NWC Honors Sophomores At Last Home Game
The Northwest College women’s soccer team knew they would have their hands full when the top-ranked Laramie County Community College Golden Eagles rolled into Trapper Field Saturday.
Sporting a 9-1 record going into the game, the Golden Eagles lived up to the hype, as Nikita Woods and Annie Rolf each scored a pair of goals each to lead LCCC to a 6-0 victory.
But for the Lady Trappers, Saturday was about honoring its sophomores, as fans celebrated Sophomore Honors Day with a tailgate party and a brief ceremony before the game.
“I was really pleased with our results,” said NWC head coach Jessica Lum. “When we played them the first time, we let in four goals the first half. We only let in three each half this time; we performed a lot better.”
The Lady Trappers switched it up a bit with positions and formations, and Lum thinks the strategy helped NWC stay competitive.
“The first half, we were more focused on playing good defense. We switched it up a bit in the second half, went on the attack more,” Lum said. “The girls decided as a team that they wanted to score, so that motivated our team a little bit. Although we didn’t score, I think we had opportunities. I think we played well.”
The Golden Eagles scored goals in the seventh and 14th minutes to mount an early lead and then added one more before the half in the 29th minute. Following the break, LCCC added three more second half goals, though the Lady Trappers continued to battle.
Whether it was due to it being the last home game of the season, or the excitement surrounding Sophomore Honors Day and sporting pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness, Lum said the spirit of the team was a lot more upbeat.
“I think it was actually the most I’ve seen them play together as a team,” Lum said. “I was really pleased with what we did. It was a good way to play in their last home game of the season.”
The Lady Trappers were solid defensively. Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Behrens, playing in her final game at Trapper Field, had a busy day in net, turning away 18 shots and doing her part to keep things close.
“She gets hammered,” Lum said of her keeper. “She’s literally our last line of defense. She always steps it up for us.”
Before the game, Behrens, Shayla Deming, Holly Burley, Jess Shipley, Ashly Nieters, Hiroko Sogabe, Wubeshaw Asseged and Drew Goll were honored for their hard work and dedication to the Lady Trappers program. All eight started the game for NWC, and Lum said the girls will be missed, on and off the field.
“Overall, we are a pretty young and inexperienced team,” Lum said. “So the older girls provided good leadership. The season got off to a rough start, and to their credit, they stuck it out. It was a little bit of a rocky transition, they were without a coach for a while. In terms of how they have represented their team and how they committed to the team has been a valuable contribution.”
The Lady Trappers traveled to Rock Springs Wednesday to take on Western Wyoming Community College, who edged NWC in an overtime nail-biter last month. It was the final game of the season, and one Lum felt the Lady Trappers had a good chance of winning.
“Playing on the road is always a challenge,” Lum said. “But we match up well. It should be a good game.”