Box Score The NMHU Cowgirl Soccer team won their second consecutive conference game at home, on 9/30, against the Grizzlies of Adams State University in Las Vegas, N.M. The Cowgirls took the lead early in the first half, but Adams State was able to tie the game up at one apiece just minutes later. Both teams battled to a standstill in the first half and went into the locker room with the score tied, 1-1. The Cowgirls took the lead 11 minutes into the second half and proceeded to play tenacious defense in an attempt to keep the Grizzlies from equalizing again. Their determination on defense paid off and the Cowgirls got their third goal of the game with only three minutes left to play. When the final horn sounded to end the game, the Cowgirls had won their second conference game of the season by the final score of 3-1. With the victory, the Cowgirls, led by Head Coach
Justin Wagar, improve to 2-4 in the RMAC and 4-6 in overall play.
NMHU scored the first goal of the game in the third minute of play. They took advantage of a throw-in on the right edge of the penalty box to attack the Grizzlies. Striker
Marci Johnson took the throw-in and lofted the ball to striker
Kelsie Roberts. Roberts used her chest to control the ball and dribbled into the right side of the penalty box. At the last second, Roberts slid a through ball into the six-yard box and found Cowgirls' striker
Crystal Schuder, who wasted no time in placing a one-timer with her right foot into the right corner of the net for her first goal of the year.
The Grizzlies rebounded quickly and were posing a threat in their attacking third of the pitch when they were awarded a free-kick in the seventh minute, on the right wing, from 30 yards out. The Grizzlies' midfielder Kaylee Smith stepped up and curled the ball into the upper left corner of the goal to even the score at one goal apiece. The teams would fight the first half to a 1-1 draw.
The Cowgirls found their second goal of the game in the 57th minute. Cowgirl defender
Emily Myrick intercepted an errant Grizzlies' pass and began the counter attack on the left wing. She dumped the ball off to striker
Crystal Schuder who played the give and go with
Marci Johnson. Schuder flicked a pass to the feet of Johnson who played a perfect through ball back out in front of Schuder. Schuder had broken the offside trap and dribbled towards the goal, launching a shot with her right foot from eight yards out in the penalty box. Schuder's second goal of the game gave the Cowgirls the 2-1 advantage.
At that point, the game turned into a very physical encounter, both teams looking to out play the other. The Cowgirls rose above the fray and sealed the victory with their third goal in the 88th minute. Striker
Kelsie Roberts intercepted the ball in the Cowgirls' attacking third and dribbled down the left wing. She played a low cross from the wing to the right side of the penalty box and found striker
Nicole Millar. Millar settled the ball and dribbled into the penalty box then launched a rocket of a shot from 15 yards out, drilling the ball into the right side of the net. The goal was Millar's first of the season and gave the Cowgirls the 3-1 advantage with time running out. When the final horn sounded, the Cowgirls had avenged their earlier loss to the Grizzlies with an impressive 3-1 victory.
The Cowgirls played very well on offense against the Grizzlies, taking 28 total shots and posing a constant threat to the Adams State defense.
Crystal Schuder led the Cowgirls with two goals in the victory.
Marci Johnson and
Kelsie Roberts both contributed with two assists apiece.
The Cowgirls' defense played a strong match against a very physical Adams State team. There was no love lost between the teams as there were a total of 33 fouls, including an Adams State Yellow Card. The Cowgirls' defense stood strong and went blow for blow with the Grizzlies, holding them to the one goal on a total of only 11 shots.
The Cowgirls will continue conference play on Friday, 10/5, as the host the Skyhawks of Fort Lewis College in Las Vegas, N.M. The Skyhawks are currently in fifth place in the RMAC, with a 3-2-1 conference record and 6-2-1 in overall play. The game on Friday night is scheduled to start at 7:00 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 America One Network.
GO COWGIRLS!!!
