Loss wakes up Roadrunners
by Sam DeWitt
The Metropolitan
It was a tale of two cities, and of virtually two teams.
In Durango, Metro State women's soccer team lost a stunner to Cal State-Bakersfield 2-0, thanks to a quick-strike offensive performance and strong goaltending from starting keeper Mary Ellen Arraztoa.
(photo by Danny Holland- The Metropolitan)
Metro junior defender Stephanie Prouty steps to the ball in front of Incarnate Word's junior forward Amber Cole in the 7-1 win Sept. 5. Metro's defense held the Cardinals to seven shots on goal.
"We just didn't get the opportunities we normally have," said Metro head coach Danny Sanchez. "We knew we had a tough stretch opening the season with four games in about one week; and they're a solid, well-coached defensive team. They came right out of the gate and scored two early goals and we were chasing the game until the end."
The lack of offensive output from the Roadrunners was not due to lack of attempts, as Amy Leichliter and Kylee Hanavan had two shots on goal each and Arraztoa had to make 10 saves to secure the win. Metro didn't get enough open looks at the net to make a difference, though, and Cal State-Bakersfield held on for the win.
Back in Denver, in front of 278 mostly partisan fans at Auraria Field, the Roadrunners rebounded strongly against the University of the Incarnate Word, winning 7-1.
The scoring began in the ninth minute, when freshman midfielder Tiffani Tobar scored her first goal of the season off a pass from junior forward Amy Leichliter. In the 29th minute, Leichliter scored her own first goal of the season, and the onslaught was in progress.
Before it ended, two more Roadrunners (sophomore midfielder Shelley Radosevich and junior midfielder Marina MacDonald) had their first goals of the season, and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's leading scorer Kylee Hanavan, tallied her fifth and sixth goals of the year.
"We responded well to the challenge," coach Sanchez said. "We came out with a lot of focus -in a regional game-with more energy. Having a lot of fans at the match certainly helped."
UIW head coach Tina Patterson agreed. "They're a very good soccer team," she said, "and it's tough to win against a team like that, especially with the support they got from the fans." |
