The NMHU Soccer team lost their first round playoff game, 3-1, against the NCAA DII #23 Skyhawks of Fort Lewis College, on 11/2, in Durango, Colo. The Cowgirls started the game on fire, scoring their first goal in the 2nd minute. The Cowgirls' defense played tough for the remainder of the first half and the Cowgirls took the 1-0 lead into halftime. The Skyhawks regrouped during the half and came out looking to score. They found their first goal in the 55th minute off a corner kick, tying the game up at one apiece. Fort Lewis kept the pressure on and found their second goal in the 65th minute to take the 2-1 lead. The Cowgirls tried to compose themselves and mount a comeback, but the Skyhawks were relentless and found their third goal in the 78th minute. When the final whistle was blown the Skyhawks had overcome the Cowgirls' early assault to take the 3-1 home victory. With the playoff loss, the Cowgirls have completed their 2011 season with an 8-5-1 record in the RMAC and 10-8-1 in overall play. The Cowgirls, led by Head Coach
Justin Wagar, finished the season in sixth place in the RMAC and made their second consecutive appearance in the conference tournament.
The Cowgirls began the game on the attack, showing the Skyhawks that they had come to play. The Cowgirls looked to be in top form as they managed to score the first goal of the game in the 2nd minute. Cowgirls' midfielder
Casey Rubin found striker
Julissa Rodriguez with a nifty pass. Rodriguez showed why she was voted the RMAC Player of the Year when she blasted the ball from 45 yards out, beating the keeper as the ball went into the back of the net. Rodriguez's league leading 16th goal of the season gave the Cowgirls the early 1-0 lead. The Cowgirls' defense played well with the lead, holding the Skyhawks to just two shots on goal in the first half. When the halftime whistle blew, the Cowgirls were in good shape with the 1-0 lead.
Fort Lewis responded well to the halftime talk from their coach and came out on the attack immediately. The Skyhawks threatened the Cowgirls' goal with six unanswered attacks in the first 10 minutes of the second half. In the 55th minute the Skyhawks' efforts paid off when they found their first goal. Skyhawks' midfielder Sara Egbom stepped up to take a corner kick and played a perfect cross into the box. Striker Megan Striedel outjumped the Cowgirls' defenders and met the ball with her head, blasting the shot past the keeper into the back of the net. Striedel's sixth goal of the season tied the score up at 1-1.
The Skyhawks kept the pressure on, looking for the winning goal. They found that goal in the 65th minute. Skyhawks' midfielder Elena Benavides beat the Cowgirls' defense with a lob pass that found striker Hayley Hollenga. Hollenga collected the ball and blasted a shot that beat the keeper into the side of the goal. Hollenga's tenth goal of the season would prove to be the game winner and gave the Fort Lewis the 2-1 lead. The Skyhawks extended their lead to two goals when striker Emma Cannis drove home a header off a cross from midfielder Jane Barden in the 78th minute. Cannis' ninth goal of the season gave the Skyhawks the 3-1 lead and sealed their home victory in the first playoff round of the RMAC tournament.
The Cowgirls made a good showing in their second consecutive RMAC tournament appearance but the Fort Lewis attack would prove to be too much to overcome. The Skyhawks outshot the Cowgirls in the game with 11 shots on target to the Cowgirls' four. The Cowgirls were led by striker
Julissa Rodriguez who found their only goal in the game. Rodriguez had two shots on target from eight shots taken. Cowgirls' keeper
Scottie Prince did a commendable job against an all-out Skyhawks' attack, making eight saves in the game.
The Cowgirls made an impressive run at the end of the season to play their way into the conference tournament. The Cowgirls only lost two out of their final 11 games and both those loses were to the NCAA DII #23 Skyhawks of Fort Lewis College. The Cowgirls had some outstanding individual performances during the season that saw striker
Julissa Rodriguez named RMAC Player of the Year, and striker
Janelle McGee named RMAC Freshman of the Year. Rodriguez was voted to the All-RMAC First Team and McGee made the All-RMAC Second Team. Cowgirls' defender
Jensen Keith was rewarded for her outstanding defensive play this season by being voted to the All-RMAC Third Team.
The Cowgirls, led by Head Coach
Justin Wagar, can be proud of the way they played down the stretch this season. Coach Wagar continues to build a successful Cowgirls Soccer Program here at New Mexico Highlands University and we can all look forward to continued success next season. Stay tuned to the
NMHU Athletics website for continuing coverage of Cowgirls Soccer throughout the off-season.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
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