The NMHU Soccer team fell in OT to the NCAA DII 7th ranked Skyhawks of Fort Lewis College, on 9/30, in Las Vegas, NM. The Cowgirls were 10 seconds away from a shocking 2-1 victory when Skyhawks' midfielder Elena Benavides drilled home the equalizing goal to send the game into overtime. In the first overtime Benavides, an Albuquerque, NM native, found the winning goal for the Skyhawks with a shot that mirrored her game saver, giving Fort Lewis the stunning 3-2 OT victory over the Cowgirls. With the loss the Cowgirls fall to a 1-4 record in the RMAC and 2-6 in overall play
The game was a fast paced affair from the onset. The Cowgirls showed that they had come to play, taking two shots in the first three minutes of the match. Both teams drove up and down the pitch with not much between the sides in the first half of play. At the end of the first half the score was still tied at 0-0, and the Cowgirls had a slight edge in shots, taking nine shots to the Skyhawks' seven.
The Cowgirls were the first to score in the second half. A long cross was played into the box by the Cowgirls' defense that fell to the left of the goal. Cowgirl midfielder
Britny Cottrell beat the Skyhawks' keeper to the ball and took it to the left corner before delivering a clever pass to striker
Julissa Rodriguez at the top left corner of the penalty box. Rodriguez took a second to set herself and curled a beautiful shot with her right foot that found the top right corner of the goal. Rodriguez's fourth goal of the season in the 48th minute gave the Cowgirls the 1-0 lead. The Skyhawks leveled the score at one in the 61st minute with a free kick. Skyhawks' striker Hayley Hollenga set up from 25 yards out on the left wing a drove a low free kick into the box. The ball was deflected inside the right post of the net by striker Megan Striedel and the score was tied up at one apiece.
Fort Lewis increased the pressure but it was the Cowgirls who would strike next with a poacher's effort in the 76th minute. Cowgirl defender Jamie Sawchuck intercepted a pass and placed a perfect through ball forward to striker
Janelle McGee. McGee juked the Skyhawks' goalie with a crafty move to her left and flicked the ball with her left foot from inside the penalty box to find the open net, making the score 2-1 in favor of the Cowgirls. Fort Lewis began a furious effort to find a goal to tie the game up. Just when it looked like the Cowgirls might find glory the Skyhawks determination paid off. With only seconds remaining Fort Lewis defender Nicole Schumacher let off a shot from 20 yards on the right wing that was blocked by the Cowgirls' defense. The rebound fell to Skyhawks' midfielder Elena Benavides at the top of the penalty box. Benavides set herself and curled a perfect shot into the top left corner of the goal with only 10.4 seconds left in the game. Benavides saved Fort Lewis' hopes evening the score at 2-2. The game was now set for a sudden death overtime finish.
In overtime the Skyhawks showed why they deserved the NCAA DII top ten ranking as they controlled the ball and looked for the winning goal. In the 103rd minute it would again be Skyhawks' midfielder Elena Benavides who triumphed. Fort Lewis striker Megan Striedel received the throw in the attacking third of the pitch on the right wing and flicked a pass down the wing to striker Hayley Hollenga. Hollenga played a one-two pass back to Striedel at the top right corner of the box and Striedel played the ball to the top of the box finding Benavides. Benavides set herself at the top of the penalty box and curled another beautiful shot into the top left corner of the goal, an almost mirror image of her tying goal at the end of regulation. The goal, Benavides' second of the game and third of the season, gave Fort Lewis the 3-2 overtime victory.
The Cowgirls were led by striker
Julissa Rodriguez who took six shots, with two of them on target and scored her fourth goal of the season. Cowgirl midfielder
Britny Cottrell had one shot on target and got on the score sheet with one assist. Cowgirl striker
Janelle McGee scored a goal, her third of the season, from one shot in the game. The Cowgirls' defense was not able to hold out against a great performance from the Skyhawks' attack. The Cowgirls picked up two yellow cards in the match.
The Cowgirls will be in action again on Sunday, 10/2, as they host CSU-Pueblo at Perkins Stadium in Las Vegas, NM. The Thunderwolves come into the match in seventh place in the RMAC with a 1-3-1 conference record and 4-5-1 in overall play. If you can't make it to the stadium for the 1pm start time, you can click
HERE to watch the game live on the America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
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