SPEARFISH, S.D. --- A furious second-half comeback appeared it may be for not for the New Mexico Highlands women's soccer team as after rallying from a 3-0 halftime deficit to tie the game 3-3 with Black Hills State, the Yellow Jackets scored in the 75
th minute to take the lead and held that 4-3 advantage into the final minute.
The Cowgirls continued to press, however, and
Monique Nevarez crossed a ball in that final minute in front of the goal where
Anna Medina headed it in to tie the game and send it to overtime where
Alondra Gildo-Ceballos scored in the 97th minute to give NMHU a 5-4 win on a cold Sunday afternoon.
For the Cowgirls (1-9 overall, 1-6 RMAC)), it's their first victory of the season and it's the most goals NMHU has scored in a game since beating Black Hills State on the road 7-2 on Sept. 23, 2016 (which was the Yellow Jackets' inaugural season). Black Hills State drops to 0-12-1 on the season and 0-7-1 in RMAC play.
It didn't start well for NMHU on Sunday as Black Hills State scored in the 18
th, 25
th and 39
th minute to take a 3-0 lead into the half.
But the Cowgirls took advantage of a penalty kick five minutes into the second half as Gildo-Ceballos converted it to make it 3-1 Yellow Jackets. Nine minutes later
Nitza Rodriguez scored for the Cowgirls on an assist from
Tania Salcedo to make it 3-2.
In the 70
th minute the Cowgirls tied it as
Breanna Fatten punched in a loose ball in while in front of the goal to make it 3-3.
Momentum seemed to be fully with the Cowgirls, but Black Hills State snatched it back as BHSU's Morgan Smith scored on a through ball from the left side of the box, sent to her by Katie Nelson, to take a 4-3 lead in the 75
th minute.
The score remained that way into the final minutes where NMHU continued to attack and look for the equalizer. The Cowgirls got it with 45 seconds left in regulation as Nevarez took a loose ball on the right side and crossed it perfectly in front of the goal where Medina scored to make it 4-4 and send the game into overtime.
In the first overtime, the Cowgirls continued to put pressure on the Yellow Jackets and got the game winner from Gildo-Ceballos as she rocketed a shot in from 30 yards out into the bottom-left corner in the 97
th minute to make the final 5-4.
NMHU outshot the Yellow Jackets 35-15, including 16-7 on shots on goal.
Breanna Fatten and Medina led the team with six shots apiece, Salcedo had five shots, Gildo-Ceballos had four shots while
Ariana Castillo and
Nitza Rodriguez had three shots each. The Cowgirls split time with their keepers with
Briana Ruelas playing the first half while
Karina Vega picks up the win playing the second half and overtime.
The Cowgirls return home 7 p.m. Friday when they take on Colorado Mesa at Sanchez Family Stadium.
