HUTCHINSON, Kan. -- Marcel Sales scored three goals and the Western Nebraska Community College earned an overtime win over Pratt Community College Saturday in Hutchinson, Kan.
The Cougar women, however, suffered through more injuries in falling to No. 13 Hutchinson Community College 5-2.
WNCC soccer coach Todd Rasnic said the men's team earned an impressive win in dramatic style while his women just need to get over the injury bug.
"The guys have regrouped a little bit and i think they are trying to turn a corner," he said. "Tomorrow will be a real good test to see how we will play against Cloud, who has 22 of 24 players that are international. But, we are certainly getting on our game a little bit more. we have to keep the focus on season as the pressure keeps getting stronger, we need to be stronger on our development of play."
The Cougar men turned the corner with the dramatic win against Pratt. Salas became the hero on the day as he opened the scoring by taking a Pratt player one-on-one and planted the ball into the net for the quick lead. Pratt came back and tied the game at 1-1 entering halftime.
WNCC took a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute as Jose Netto and Sales were passing to each other coming up the field. Netto then took the shot and was fouled in the box. Sales took the penalty kick, but the Pratt goalkeeper made a nice save, except the ball bounced away and Sales followed the penalty kick by hitting the go-ahead goal.
The Cougars were on the brink of victory until Pratt tied the game at 2-2 with 30 seconds to play to force overtime.
In the extra period, the Cougars wasted little time in claiming the win, scoring the winning goal just 3:50 into the period. Netto and Kevin Lopez fed Sales the ball about 40 yards out and after a couple of moves, Sales floated the ball into the net for the win.
WNCC outshot Pratt 10-6, while each goalkeeper had six saves.
The women's match against Hutchinson was just as exciting for a half. Hutchinson quickly took a 3-0 lead scoring its first goal just 34 seconds into the match. The Blue Dragons added a second goal 2:30 into the first half and then went up 3-0 12 minutes into the contest.
The Cougar women didn't lose faith as they scored quickly to tighten the game at 3-2 at intermission. Grace McConnell opened the scoring as the freshman from Henderson, Nev., stole the ball and put the ball into the net.
Two minutes later, the Cougars struck again as Leticia Lopez gave Brittany McNeil a perfect pass as the sophomore put the ball into the net for her seventh goal of the year.
That was as close as the Cougar women got against the No. 13 team in the nation as The Blue Dragons added two insurance goals in the second half.
Hutchinson outshot WNCC 13-6. WNCC goalkeeper Jessica Taylor made 17 saves in net.
Rasnic said he was pleased with the way his ladies played despite suffering three more injuries in Saturday's match.
"The ladies game was good. The first half was really and we showed some signs of coming back," he said. " That injury bug is going to bother us all year long. As soon as I get one player healthy, another one gets injured. We are struggling right now with the injuries, but we are going to fight through it the best that we can. We are going to go out and have some fun, play, and see if we can't pick up a few wins. That is the best we can do right know. We will work through it. It is not the end of the world. As I told the players today, the sky is not falling. it will take some time getting players back and we need to regroup a little bit. They will be OK in the long run."
Both teams will be in action Sunday as they face Cloud County Community College in Concordia, Kan.
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