LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Cowgirls knew they had on battle on their hands Wednesday (Nov. 5). All time, they were 28-3-5 against the Skyhawks with a 0-1-1 record this season. The Cowgirls have not beaten the Skyhawks since Oct. 28, 2001.
That is all a distant memory thanks to a first half goal by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's leading scorer, sophomore
Anyssa Dagnino, as New Mexico Highlands (11-4-4) upended Fort Lewis (6-8-5) 1-0 at Perkins Stadium in the quarterfinals of the RMAC Tournament.
While the visitors put four shots on target in the first 34 minutes of the game (and only one the final 56 minutes), it was the Highlands who scored the only goal of the contest. In the 37th minute, a ball was played on the right side by freshman
Ashley McBee. She shot across her body and hit the left corner where the crossbar meets the post. However, Dagnino was right there for the rebound and used her body to sneak the ball through the left post for her league-leading 11th score – and sixth game-winning goal – of the season.
It was McBee's second assist of the season and her first since the first Cowgirls goal of 2014 on Sept. 5 against Texas-Permian Basin – also on the game-winning goal. Dagnino took a season-high six shots with a season best five shots on target.
Freshman
Mallory Bostic also had a shot clang off the crossbar in the 21st minute as she was second on the team in the game with four shot attempts. Highlands and Fort Lewis' goalie each grabbed four saves in the first half, but it was Dagnino's goal which proved to be the difference on the scoreboard and shots on target (5-4).
The second half saw the majority of action in Fort Lewis territory. However, the Cowgirls still managed to outshoot the Skyhawks 5-4 and 3-1 in shots on goal as the visitors never really threatened.
Freshman goalkeeper
Sarah Beecher improved to 11-4-4 on the year with her eighth solo shutout of the season, grabbing five saves for Highlands. Fort Lewis' Kodie Johnson fell to 0-1-1, making seven saves.
The #4-seeded Cowgirls return to action Friday (Nov. 7) when they take on top-seeded Colorado Mines in Golden, Colorado, at 2 p.m.
