The NMHU soccer team gave a glimpse of things to come in the 2011 season with an impressive showing against NCAA DII third ranked Golden Knights of the College of Saint Rose. The Cowgirls took the national contenders into the first overtime of a thrilling home match before the Golden Knights came away with the 2-1 victory from a fortunate long range goal to close the game in the 104th minute. Both teams' defenses played superb soccer in a game that was fast paced and action packed.
Senior forward
Julissa Rodriguez got the match started off on a good note for the Cowgirls taking her first shot attempt in the first minute of the match. Soon after both teams' defenses took control of the game shutting down each other's attacks and forcing play into the midfield. The Cowgirls defense came out in impressive form with the Golden Knights unable to get a shot on goal until the 30th minute.
Julissa Rodriguez put her first shot on target in the 35th minute with a masterful free kick from 22 yards out on the left side of the box that crossed over to the top right corner, but a great save by Saint Rose's keeper Jessica Gerski denied her attempt. That free kick was the only shot on target for both teams in a first half that saw dominating play by both defenses.
The Cowgirls took to the attack from the onset of the second period with
Julissa Rodriguez getting her second shot on target in the 47th minute that was just saved and led to a corner kick for the Cowgirls. Both sides increased the tempo of the action as they traded attacks back and forth. Cowgirl keeper
Bianca Contreres made a great save on an on target attempt by Golden Knight's striker Carmelina Puopolo in the 57th minute. A minute later saw the Cowgirls attack as striker
Julissa Rodriguez put an amazing bicycle kick on target from 25 yards out that brought the home crowd to its feet. The Golden Knights continued to pile on the pressure but the Cowgirls defense proved up to the task and Cowgirl keeper
Bianca Contreres made another great save in the 64th minute. The teams went back and forth when Rodriguez took another amazing free kick from 26 yards out on the right side that curled down and hit the cross bar. Cowgirls' midfielder
Autumn Woods headed the rebound back on target from inside the box that took quick reflexes from the Golden Knights' Gerski to stop.
The Cowgirls found the net first, in the 83rd minute, when striker
Marci Johnson intercepted a pass from the Golden Knights' defenders, deftly took the ball to the right and placed a beautiful shot just under the crossbar and in from 15 yards. Saint Rose began a furious attack straight away looking for the equalizer. The Cowgirls defense held out until the 87th minute, when Carmelina Puopolo placed a brilliant cross from the left side of the pitch that found the head of Golden Knight striker Sydney Bond on the right side of the box. Bond put a powerful header across the goal from right to left that deflected off a Cowgirl defender's shoulder and into the goal, leveling the score at one a piece. Both teams searched for the winning goal in the remaining three minutes of regular time, but it was not to be and the game went to extra time.
The Golden Knights were on the attack first, threatening the Cowgirls' defense from the start of the first overtime. The Cowgirls countered the attack earning a free kick on the left wing in the 99th minute. Rodriguez took the kick and placed a cunning short pass down the left wing to
Marci Johnson who pressed the attack drawing a foul in the box. Cowgirl striker
Julissa Rodriguez stepped up in the 99th minute to take the penalty kick and drove a furious shot to the bottom right corner of the net. Saint Rose's Jessica Gerski made a wonderful diving save and Rodriguez caught the rebound in mid air with the inside of her right foot but crushed the ball over the bar. Saint Rose began applying tremendous pressure on the Cowgirls and with only one minute left the Golden Knights found the golden goal. Midfielder Derith Fernandes accepted a pass from Laura Taylor and crossed the ball into the box from 36 yards on the right wing where the ball took a Golden Knight's bounce up and over the Cowgirls keeper and lobbed in under the cross bar, ending the exciting match in the 104th minute as Saint Rose snatched the win 2-1.
The Cowgirls' defense, anchored by defender
Jensen Keith, played a great game, and shut down the Golden Knights' attack for much of the match. The speed and skill of Cowgirl striker
Julissa Rodriguez was a constant threat to Saint Rose's defense, showing why she was chosen as the RMAC Pre-season Player of the Year. Rodriguez had five shots on target and provided some amazing free kicks and acrobatics that wowed the home crowd. Overall the Cowgirls proved to be a very worthy opponent for the third ranked team in the nation and came oh so close to the upset in front of a sizable home crowd of over 600 fans at Perkins Stadium. A great start to the 2011 season!
NMHU soccer will be in action again on Monday afternoon, 9/5, as they host the University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) at Perkins Stadium. The match is scheduled to start at 12pm. Come out and enjoy some exciting Cowgirls' soccer action in Las Vegas. If you can't make it to the stadium, click
HERE to catch the action live on the America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
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HERE for Complete Stats
