The NMHU Cowgirls Soccer team captured a home victory against the Cougars of Colorado Christian University, on 10/7. The Cowgirls' defense was a major factor in the game, only allowing one shot on goal from four total shots in the game. The Cowgirls' attack was relentless, on a wet and stormy evening, and their determination was key in finding the winning goal in the 78th minute to take the 1-0 conference victory. With the home win, the Cowgirls improve to 3-4-0 in the RMAC and 5-6-0 in overall play.
The Cowgirls were the more aggressive team in the first half of the game, ending the half with an 11-1 shot margin over the Cougars. In the 7th minute, striker
Julissa Rodriguez lined up to take a corner kick from the right corner. She blasted the ball in a long curling shot that ricocheted off the left post, narrowly missing the goal. The Cowgirls were on the attack from the onset and their defense smothered the Cougars, not allowing a shot until the 37th minute of the game. In the last three minutes of the first half the Cougars' keeper was kept busy, making three saves from the Cowgirls' attacks. When the whistle blew for the end of the first half the score was still tied at 0-0.
The Cowgirls were once again on the attack from the beginning of the second half, taking two shots in the first two minutes. The Cougars' defense played well, but they were on their back foot for the majority of the half. Finally in the 78th minute the Cowgirls' attack began to home in on the target. Striker
Julissa Rodriguez received a pass, dribbled down the left wing, and blasted a low shot across the box towards the right post. The Cougars' keeper made an athletic diving save but couldn't hold onto the ball. Striker
Janelle McGee saw the rebound roll by her in the six yard box, turned to collect the ball and whirled a shot at the goal. Again the Cougars' keeper made a brilliant save this time while lying on her side and the ball rebounded off her hands again in the slippery conditions. McGee dove, flinging herself at the ball with her right foot but the ball deflected off of the keepers' feet and off the right side of goal, setting up a Cowgirls' corner kick. Rodriguez stepped up to take the kick from the right corner and launched a high arching ball that traveled across the box to the left side of goal. Cowgirls' midfielder
Autumn Woods timed her jump perfectly and got well above the Cougars defenders. The ball met the head of Woods as she powered it into the back of the net for an impressive scoring header. The goal was Woods' fourth of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 1-0 lead with only 12 minutes to play. Colorado Christian tried furiously to mount a counter attack but the Cowgirls' defense held firm and would only allow one long range shot to the Cougars as time wound down. When the final whistle was blown the Cowgirls were celebrating their well deserved 1-0 victory, moving up in the conference standings to seventh place.
The Cowgirls offense outplayed the Cougars with a 30-4 shot margin and placed 16 of those shots on target. The attack was led by striker
Julissa Rodriguez who took 12 shots in the game and ended up with an assist. Midfielder
Autumn Woods was the hero of the game with her superb header being the only goal in the game. Cowgirls' goal keeper
Scottie Prince (3-0-0) found her third win in a row, with her second clean sheet of the season.
The Cowgirls will be in action again on Sunday, 10/9, as they host conference opponent the University of Nebraska-Kearney at Perkins Stadium in Las Vegas, NM. The Lopers come into the match in 10th place in the RMAC with a 1-5-1 conference record and 3-7-1 in overall play. If you can't make it to the stadium for the 12 pm start time, you can click
HERE to watch the game live on the America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
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