Box Score The NMHU Cowgirl Soccer team lost their conference home game, on 10/12, against the Rangers of Regis University. The Cowgirls took the initial lead, 1-0, in the first half but the Rangers were able to find the equalizing goal just before halftime. The Rangers took the lead in the second half and were able to hold the Cowgirls off to win by the final score of 2-1. With their loss in conference play, the Cowgirls, led by Head Coach
Justin Wagar, fall to 2-5-2 in the RMAC and 4-7-2 in overall play.
The Cowgirls went on the offensive early and managed to find the net just minutes into the game. Unfortunately the goal was called back for off-sides on the Cowgirls.
The Cowgirls finally broke the scoreless draw in the 32nd minute. They had possession of the ball in the attacking third and were making several good attacks at the Rangers' goal. The ball rebounded out to the top of the penalty box right to Cowgirl defender
Clarissa Estrella. She slipped the ball back into the penalty box past Ranger defenders and found Cowgirl striker
Marci Johnson. Johnson wasted no time and squarely struck the ball with her right foot, sending the ball into the back of the net to give the Cowgirls the 1-0 lead. It was Johnson's fourth goal of the season.
The Cowgirls looked to be in control of the game but the Rangers were able to equalize in the 41st minute.
Regis midfielder Marissa Davis intercepted an errant Cowgirl pass and immediately began the counter-attack. She dribbled the ball through the center of the field and found Rangers' striker Meghan Stuart on the right side of the penalty box. Stuart made a move and beat the Cowgirls' keeper with a straight shot across to the left side of goal. The game would go into halftime tied 1-1.
The teams went back and forth in the second half before the Rangers were able to take advantage of another counter-attack to take the lead in the 56th minute.
Regis striker Sade Akindele intercepted a Cowgirls' pass and transitioned to a Rangers' attack. Akindele eluded a couple of Cowgirl defenders and passed to midfielder Kendal Kagawa. Kagawa dribbled through the Cowgirls' defense and found striker Sidny Otto with a through ball inside the penalty box. Otto took a step to the right and buried her sixth goal of the season into the right side of the net, giving Regis the 2-1 lead.
The Cowgirls increased their intensity, looking for the equalizer with time running out. However, the Rangers were able to maintain control of the game in the final minutes and when the horn sounded to end the game it was the Rangers who would end up victorious by the final score of 2-1.
The teams were evenly matched throughout the match, until the Rangers were able to assume control in the final 15 minutes of the game.
Cowgirl captain
Marci Johnson led the Cowgirls' attack with her fourth goal of the season. Johnson currently leads the Cowgirls in scoring with 15 points from four goals and seven assists.
The Cowgirls' defense played well early in the game, but the Rangers had better control of the ball and were able to threaten the Cowgirls' goal with a very effective passing attack.
The Cowgirls will continue conference play on Sunday, 10/14, when they host the Roadrunners of Metropolitan State College of Denver, in Las Vegas, N.M. Metro State is currently in first place in the RMAC with a 7-1-1 conference record and 10-2-1 in overall play. The game on is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. If you can't make it out to Perkins Stadium to watch the Cowgirls in action, you can click
HERE to follow the game live on the Proview Network or
HERE on the America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
