The NMHU Cowgirls Soccer Team extended their winning streak to seven games with the convincing 4-1 victory over the NCAA DII #15 Orediggers of the Colorado School of Mines, on 10/16, at Perkins Stadium. The Cowgirls were roaring to play for the last home game of the regular season. The Cowgirls found the first goal of the game, in the 42nd minute, when
Janelle McGee scored a penalty kick. The Cowgirls took advantage of the goal to take the 1-0 lead into the half. The Cowgirls would strike quickly in the second half with goals in the 55th and 57th minutes, to increase the lead to 3-0. In the 71st minute the Orediggers got a goal back on a beautiful header, closing the margin to two. The Cowgirls would answer in under a minute as they forced the attack and scored in the 71st minute to make the score 4-1. When the final whistle had blown the Cowgirls had triumphed on Senior Day to see the outgoing seniors off with a win in their last home game for NMHU. With the conference home victory, the Cowgirls extend their winning streak to seven games and improve to 7-4-0 in the RMAC and 9-6-0 in overall play.
The Cowgirls took to the attack from the start of the game, taking two shots in the first five minutes. After the initial push the game settled out into the midfield with both teams looking to find the advantage. The teams looked evenly matched throughout the first half of play until the Cowgirls struck first in the 42nd minute. The Orediggers committed a handball foul in the penalty box and the referee awarded the penalty to the Cowgirls. Striker
Janelle McGee confidently stepped up to take the penalty shot and slammed the ball with her right foot into the upper right side of the goal. The goal was McGee's 11th of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 1-0 lead. The Cowgirls took the 1-0 advantage into halftime.
The Cowgirls began their customary quick attack in the second half, but the Orediggers quickly took control and looked a threat to score. The Cowgirls withstood the pressure from the Orediggers and were able to mount a counter attack in the 55th minute. Striker
Janelle McGee intercepted the ball and laid it off to striker
Julissa Rodriguez in the midfield. Rodriguez dribbled the ball around three Oredigger defenders and took the ball into the left side of the penalty box. She flicked the ball with the outside of her right foot across the goal and beat the keeper with her shot into the upper right side of the goal. It was Rodriguez's 14th goal of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 2-0 lead. The Cowgirls kept the momentum and struck again two minutes later in the 57th minute. Cowgirl midfielder
Alyssa Saucedo intercepted the ball and dribbled into the attacking third of play then passed the ball to
Julissa Rodriguez on the left side of the pitch. Rodriguez took the ball to the left side on top of the penalty box, set herself up on the right foot, and let loose one of her signature curling shots that found the top right corner of the goal. It was Rodriguez's RMAC leading 15th goal of the season and gave the Cowgirls the comfortable 3-0 lead.
Both teams continued to go up and down the pitch and it was Colorado School of Mines that would find the net next. In the 71st minute, Oredigger striker Anna Evans intercepted the ball and lifted a beautiful cross into the box. The ball arced across the goal and Oredigger defender Kelsey Neal out jumped the Cowgirls' defenders to slam the ball into the back of the net. The goal was Neal's third of the season and cut the Cowgirls lead to two with the score 3-1. The Cowgirls answered back quickly when striker
Julissa Rodriguez intercepted the ball in the attacking third of play in the 71st minute. Rodriguez took the ball down to the right corner and it looked like the Orediggers' defense had her penned in, but Rodriguez used her impressive ball control skills to dribble around both defenders. She took the ball to the upper right side of the penalty box and blasted a shot at the goal. The Orediggers' keeper managed to leap and deflect the shot, but Cowgirl striker
Janelle McGee was in place to get the rebound. McGee beat out the keeper and a defender to the rebound in the six yard box. She blasted the ball with her right foot and it slammed into the top of the net for her second goal of the game. The goal was McGee's 12th of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 4-1 lead. When the final whistle blew the Cowgirls were running around the pitch in celebration as they won their last regular season home game and continued their win streak by giving the #15 Orediggers their second loss of the season.
The Cowgirls' defense once again looked solid as they gave the NCAA DII 21st ranked team problems all game. Cowgirl defenders
Bianca Brambila,
Jensen Keith, and
Taylor Gonzales, worked throughout the 90 minutes to limit the Orediggers to only one goal in the game. The Cowgirls' attack was led by their top scoring strikers
Julissa Rodriguez and
Janelle McGee. Both McGee and Rodriguez finished the game with two goals and an assist. Cowgirl senior goal keeper
Shannon Delarosbil (3-3-0) was credited with the win in her final home game.
New Mexico Highlands University Athletics honored the outgoing seniors from the Cowgirls Soccer team before the lineups were announced. NMHU Athletics would like to wish success in the future endeavors of Cowgirls
Julissa Rodriguez,
Casey Rubin,
Britny Cottrell,
Taylor Gonzales,
Scottie Prince, and
Shannon Delarosbil. These women have gone above and beyond in making the NMHU Cowgirls Soccer team a successful and competitive program. Thanks and good luck!!!
The Cowgirls will continue their push for the RMAC tournament on Friday, 10/21, as they travel to Grand Junction, Colo. to face the Mavericks of Colorado Mesa University. The Mavericks are one spot below the Cowgirls in sixth place in the RMAC standings, with a 5-3-2 conference record and 6-6-2 in overall play. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 pm. If you can't make the trip to Grand Junction to watch the game in person, you can click
HERE to watch the game live on the America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
Click
HERE for Complete Stats
