The NMHU Cowgirls Soccer team extended their winning streak to six games with their 3-0 RMAC home victory over the Mountain Lions of the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, on 10/14, at Perkins Stadium. The Cowgirls looked in rare form in the physical contest as they controlled the majority of the game. The Cowgirls scored their first goal in the 39th minute and quickly added another in the 40th minute, to take the 2-0 lead at the half. The Cowgirls' signature quick attack began in earnest as they asserted their dominance in the second half. The Cowgirls added their third goal of the game in the78th minute and shut the remainder of the game down to earn the clean sheet. With the conference home victory, the Cowgirls extend their winning streak to six games and improve to 6-4-0 in the RMAC and 8-6-0 in overall play.
The match was a physical affair from the get-go. Both teams played tough in midfield, but it wasn't long before the Cowgirls began to put attacking pressure on the Mountain Lions. The Cowgirls found the net first in the 39th minute of the game. Striker
Marci Johnson took the throw-in from the left side of the attacking third and volleyed the ball to striker
Julissa Rodriguez on the left side of the penalty box. Rodriguez dribbled around two Mountain Lion defenders, taking the ball up to the top left hand side of the penalty box. She set herself up and blasted the ball towards the right side of goal, the ball curled in and ricocheted off the keeper's hands and buried in the top right corner of the net. The goal was
Julissa Rodriguez's 13th of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 1-0 lead. Before the Mountain Lions could compose themselves, the Cowgirls struck again on the counter attack in the 40th minute. Midfielder
Autumn Woods intercepted the ball in the defending third and launched the ball up to midfielder
Kahyra Ramirez. Ramirez dribbled the ball across midfield and placed a beautiful pass into the feet of striker
Janelle McGee. McGee received the ball in the attacking third of the pitch and held off two defenders as she deftly dribbled the ball between them into the right side of the penalty box. McGee drove a powerful shot low across the goal that beat the diving keeper and found the left side of the net. It was
Janelle McGee's ninth goal of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 2-0 lead. The Cowgirls would take that two goal lead into the half, much to the excitement of the home crowd.
The Cowgirls took control of the second half from the start, taking three shots in the first eight minutes of the half. The physical nature of the game increased but the Cowgirls proved their mettle as they looked in great form. The Cowgirls' defense never let the Mountain Lions really threaten in the half. The entire team was controlling the ball with skill as they made continuous attacks into the Mountain Lion's third of the pitch. Finally in the 78th minute the Cowgirls determination paid off once again. The Mountain Lions tried to scramble the ball out of the area and deflected a pass from Cowgirls striker
Marci Johnson. The ball went to the left side at the top of the penalty box and striker
Julissa Rodriguez used her speed to chase it down. Rodriguez took the ball deep into the left side of the penalty box and fired a shot across the goal. The Mountain Lion keeper made a fantastic save on the ball but couldn't handle the shot and the ball rebounded off her hands. Striker
Janelle McGee was in position in the six yard box as the rebound fell at her feet and she buried the ball into the back of the net for her second goal of the game. The goal was McGee's 10th of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 3-0 lead. The Mountain Lions furiously looked for a goal but they were really only able to threaten from long range as the Cowgirls' defense shut down play. When the final whistle had blown the Cowgirls had captured their sixth consecutive victory with a 3-0 clean sheet and moved up to fifth place in the RMAC standings.
The Cowgirls' defense, led by
Taylor Gonzales,
Jensen Keith, and
Bianca Brambila, was rock solid in the game. They only allowed the Mountain Lions two shots in the first half and the remaining five shots came in the last 10 minutes of play when the Mountain Lions were down by three. The Cowgirls all looked in great form in the game as they moved the ball around the pitch with great skill. Striker
Janelle McGee led the scorers in the game with her two goals. Striker
Julissa Rodriguez added her conference leading thirteenth goal of the season and also had an assist. The game was a very physical affair and there were three yellow cards issued in the match, two for the Cowgirls and one to the Mountain Lions. Cowgirl goal keeper
Scottie Prince (5-0-0) has proven to be the good omen for the Cowgirls as she was credited with her fifth win of the season.
The Cowgirls will be in action again on Sunday, 10/16, as they host the Colorado School of Mines, at Perkins Stadium, for Senior Day. The Ore Diggers are ranked 21st in NCAA DII and hold second place in the RMAC, with a 7-1-1 conference record and 11-1-1 in overall play. NMHU Athletics will be honoring the Cowgirls' seniors in their final home game of the season. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 pm. If you can't make it to Perkins Stadium to watch the game in person, you can click
HERE to watch the game live on the America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
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