ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. -- Oct. 21, 2011 – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s soccer team received two goals from Kristi Blicharz, moving one step closer to a Region IX title with a dominating 2-0 performance against Northwest College on Friday.
The win moves the Cougars into the title match on Saturday at 10 a.m. against Laramie County Community College, who was a 3-0 winner over Western Wyoming Community College.
WNCC goalkeeper Bailey Wenz, who had 11 saves in Friday’s semifinal win, said the team played together as a unit.
“We played awesome. Our team gave it all our heart. We give it our all,” the freshman from Gillette, Wyo., said. “We gave all 100 percent on the field. The girls didn’t quit until they couldn’t walk.”
The key in the match was the fact the Cougars got on the scoreboard first. Wenz said those early goals were huge because it took some momentum away from the Trappers.
“It was important to get those early goals because it made their [energy level] go down pretty fast,” Wenz said. “They then had to pick themselves back up in the second half, which they did. If we wouldn’t have got those first two goals, it would have been tied.”
Blicharz netted her ninth and 10th goals of the season in grand fashion. Blicharz scored the first goal off an assist from Leti Lopez and the second from Laura James. Wenz said both goals were unbelievable shots.
“Both goals were beautiful,” she said. “The one goal Kristi went one on one with the keeper and was able to send it down under the keeper. She had no chance at saving it. No good keeper could have saved those shots.”
The Cougars two early goals was all they needed as the Cougar defenders stifled the Trapper offense with some fine defense. Wenz said the defense deserves a lot of credit.
“The whole defense was just good,” Wenz said. “Ari [Herrera] shut down No. 10 [Samiha Simao] and frustrated her. Laura [James], Rachel [Tekler] and Quincey [Jackson] all did amazing. They were giving 100 percent and not letting anything through the gaps.”
Wenz said this team can bring home the schools third regional with a victory over Laramie County Community College on Saturday, but it will take the team the same kind of effort, if not more, to topple the Golden Eagles.
“Playing defense like we did today is a key because they shut them down constantly,” Wenz said. “They didn’t let any player have anything and they hardly had any good shots. They just need to do that against LCCC. We also need to talk and if we just play like we did today and we should have a chance.”
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