WNCC women win 10-0, McNeil ties school record for goals in a game

All Brittany McNeil could do last season for the Western Nebraska Community College women's soccer team was watch from the sidelines after taking a redshirt year because of injuries.

In the first two soccer matches this season, the 5-foot-1 forward is making some noise and Sunday was one of her finest hours as she tied a school record by netting four goals and delivering three assists to help the Cougar women to a commanding 10-0 win over Hesston College at the Landers Soccer Complex.

"it is amazing to be back on the field," McNeil said. "I love it being back on the field. It wasn't too bad today."

McNeil's four goals tied a school record that stood for four years. Bre Perkes scored four goals against Dodge City and Western Wyoming, and Paige Achatz against Western Wyoming all in 2006.

McNeil, who has six goals in two games after scoring twice on Saturday in a 9-0 win over Hesston, delivered two goals in each half. It was, however, her first-half goals that were spectacular. After WNCC took a 1-0 lead on a Leticia Lopez goal three minutes into the game, McNeil found the hot corner in putting the Cougars up 3-0.

Both of McNeil's goals were identical as the small forward took a pass from Daisy Rosalis with 34 left in the first half and planted the ball in the upper right corner. Nine minutes later, McNeil took a pass from Jordan Lutkin and delivered the same shot with the same result.

"I was trying to get it there because the goalie was near post and the far corner was wide open," McNeil said. "I hit that shot today, so it seemed that was my shot."

The Cougars had numerous scoring opportunities in the first -- nine shots on goal -- and miss-fired time after time.

Things were completely different for the Cougars in the second half as the Cougars connected on seven goals on 11 shots on goal.

"The first half was so good and then the second half we stepped it up and played a good game," McNeil said. "We started connecting, especially in the middle, and worked our way to the outside."

One of the big differences in the contests was the team's passing. The Cougars scored 10 goals and had 12 assists in on those games. Finding those open players was crucial in the team's win.

"If we don't find those connecting passes, there is no game," she said. "We have to have control of the passes and take the passes outside and then back to the inside. That is how you score goals."

That is exactly what they did throughout the game, especially in the second half.

McNeil was involved in the first goal as she recorded her second assist of the game, finding Rosales in the middle for the easy goal just 2 1/2 minutes gone in the half. The Cougars wasted little time in scoring again. Ninety seconds later, Kristy Blicharz stole the ball and went upfield to post her first goal of the game and a 5-0 lead.

WNCC wasn't through as Rosales netted her second goal of the game off an assist by Lopez with 36 minutes to play. Blicharz got her second goal with 27 minutes to play as she took a pass from Ashley Gleason to put the Cougars up 7-0.

McNeil then scored back-to-back goals to put WNCC up 9-0. With 21 minutes left, McNeil took a pass from Rosales for an easy goal. McNeil's fourth goal came with 10 minutes left as Gleason found the Milliken, Colo., native with another goal.

Blicharz scored her third goal of the game with three minutes left off an assist from McNeil. It was Blicharz second straight hat-trick in scoring as the 5-8 Littleton, Colo., freshman had three goals in the Cougars win Saturday against Hesston.

WNCC dominated the contest, outshooting the Larks 26-2 and had four corner kicks to Hesston's zero.

McNeil said these wins will help the team as they head into key regional games over the next 10 days. She said there is plenty of potential for this team this season, who has scored 19 goals in two games.

"We have huge potential as long as we come together and play as a family," she said. " I think we can play a lot better but it was really good today and yesterday," she said. "We still have to work on our connecting passes toward the middle and the outside.

The Cougars will next be in action Saturday when they face Northwest College in a Region IX match at the Landers Soccer Complex beginning at 10 a.m. After that, the Cougars will battle Butler County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo., on Sunday, before facing Laramie County Community College on Sept. 8 in Cheyenne.