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WSOvBHSU-261018-Seniors
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Black Hills St. BHS (9-3-3, 6-3-1)
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Winner Western Colo. WCU (5-7-1, 3-5-1)
Black Hills St. BHS
(9-3-3, 6-3-1)
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Final
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Western Colo. WCU
(5-7-1, 3-5-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Black Hills St. BHS 0 1 1
Western Colo. WCU 1 2 3

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | Gregg Petcoff

Mountaineers Take the Sting Out of the Yellow Jackets

GUNNISON, Colo.  Fighting for a postseason spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference playoffs, Western Colorado – on its Senior Day – earned an important victory Sunday with its 3-1 win over visiting Black Hills State, a squad that has already cemented its place in the eight-team RMAC tournament.

The win lifts the Mountaineers into sole possession of eighth place in the league standings, with three games remaining in the regular season.

After the game the Mountaineers hosted a Senior Day ceremony at midfield, honoring Ashlyn Fitzpatrick, Ava Lowe, Jadyn Lozano, Natsuki Murakami, Jordan Welsh, and Malia Ramdhanny.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. Black Hills State, 3-1
Records: Western 5-7-1 overall (3-5-1 RMAC), BHSU 9-3-3 (6-3-1)
Location: Katy O. Rady Field, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Western's intensity in its attacking third was evident right from the start and lasted through to the final horn.
  • In just the 17th minute the Mountaineers were able to grab the lead with an Ava Odil goal. A cross from near the end line outside of the box landed with a charging Odil, who rocketed a shot from close range that was saved by Black Hills goalkeeper Rian Barthel.
  • But Barthel could only stop the initial shot, diving to her right, allowing the rebound to land back at Odil's feet and this time she made the second strike count, depositing a shot with her left foot behind a sprawled Barthel's feet into the netting.
  • Western continued with both its intensity and offensive pressure throughout the remaining minutes of the first half, outshooting the Yellow Jackets 19-10, but with Barthel making four saves of those on frame the Mountaineers carried only a 1-0 lead into the halftime break.
  • In the early moments of the second half, a harmless pass back to the goalie turned into the equalizer for Black Hills as Ivy Agee was able to intercept Lozano's pass back out and drove a shot behind Lozano to even the score at 1-1.
  • Despite the tying marker, Western' momentum remained unbroken. It immediately mounted attacking pressure, as Barthel needed to stop a shot from Lauren Kindt off a free kick, a shot from inside the box by Welsh was blocked by a defender, and Clara Moldenhauer's shot off a corner kick opportunity was also blocked by a Yellow Jacket defender in the box.
  • Finally, in the 55th, a Black Hills turnover put the ball at Welsh's feet and she dished off to her right to Moldenhauer who drove toward the end line. She pivoted back around her defender and found Welsh who carried two steps before firing across the goal with a low liner that slipped inside the left post to elevate Western back in front.
  • Black Hills was able to respond with its first sustained pressure of the game following Welsh's goal, getting off the next three shots in the game before the tide finally tilted back toward Western's attacking third.
  • Adah Minikel-Lacocque's penalty kick goal in the 60th was the result of that turn in the tide, providing a two-goal cushion that held up through the final 30 minutes of action.
RADY TURF NOTES
  • Western finished with a 32-20 advantage in shots, the Mountaineers' highest shots total since pounding out 33 in a 3-1 win over N.M. Highlands in the 2023 season.
  • Frustrations mounted for BHSU during the game, as it accrued 13 fouls, to Western's 6, and were dealt three yellow cards.
  • Fitzpatrick would finish with four saves while at the other end of the pitch, Barthel did her best to keep the Yellow Jackets in the game, accumulating 10 saves.
  • Welsh had recently set the program record for career goals, and her marker on Sunday improved her career total to 12 as she scored her team best 7th goal of the season.
THEY SAID IT


UP NEXT
  • Western has three games remaining in the regular season, its next two against the teams – Colorado Christian, and MSU Denver – who are chasing Western, one spot behind in ninth place each with 7 points in the RMAC standings.
  • The Mountaineers' final game is against Fort Lewis College, which has already clinched a spot in the RMAC playoffs and heads into next week's action in fifth place in the league.
    
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