by Steve Stoner-The Metropolitan

Metro women’s soccer continues on in their winning ways with a record of 12-0-1 overall and 7-0-0 in the RMAC. The team is currently ranked number one in the nation.

Metro women’s soccer defended their No. 1 national ranking by defeating the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls last Friday.

Metro’s junior forward Amy Leichliter scored the winning goal and the Roadrunners won 2-1. However, this might not have been a normal game for the Roadrunners because for most of the game they were behind 1-0.

Scoring for Highlands was junior Sara Parra, who scored the first goal given up by Metro in nine games. Parra was able to slip past the Metro defense, and was able to get the ball past goaltender Mandy Allen on a bouncing ball, thus ending Allen’s nine-game streak of shutout games. The goal was the fourth goal against Metro this season.

The ‘Runners were unable to score in the first half but not due to lack of trying. Metro shots bounced off the Highlands crossbar twice. At one point in the game, Metro’s junior midfielder Ymara Guante attempted a shot that was blocked by a New Mexico defender standing in front of an open goal. The Roadrunners recorded 18 shots on goal in the first half, but none of them went in. Despite playing much of the game on New Mexico’s side of the field, Metro went into halftime losing, something that hasn’t happened for the Roadrunners much of the year.
Metro’s offensive efforts were not overlooked by Metro freshman Chad Elder, 18, a biology major who was attending his first Metro game. Elder also knew that Metro was just named number one in the nation.

“From what I’ve seen so far they’re pretty good,” Elder said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they make the finals and win.”

Metro, 11-0-1 overall before the game, came out shooting in the second half and many of the good scoring chances came off the foot of Guante.

Guante set up both of the goals that Metro scored giving her a sixth assist for the year. The Metro goal that tied the game was a header by sophomore midfielder Marina MacDonald, her fourth goal this season. Later Guante positioned the ball in front of the goal for Leichliter to score the go-ahead goal, her 11th goal of the season.

Metro Head Coach Danny Sanchez said he wasn’t too worried about trailing going into the half. He said that each game is a battle that lasts 90 minutes. Sanchez said his team just needed to take advantage of one of the scoring chances they had in the game.

Sanchez gave a lot of credit to Guante’s efforts.

“Ymara played good on the plank and got two good assists,” Sanchez said. “That was the key to the game.”

Leichliter was happy to have the winning goal but remained humble about it.
“ I just did what needed to do done,” she said.

In their game against Adams State, senior forward Naomi Clarke had two goals and Guante had two assists as the ‘Runners won 6-0 to bring their record to 12-0-1, 7-0-0 RMAC. The victory was Metro’s 16th consecutive home win, and it also extended the Roadrunners’ RMAC unbeaten streak to 21 games. Metro hasn’t lost a conference game since Oct. 26, 2001.

The Roadrunners’ next two games are at Mesa State (11-2-1, 7-1 RMAC) on Friday, and at Fort Lewis (4-8-1, 2-5-1 RMAC) on Sunday.