Tia Sharp intercepts a pass from the Gonzaga club team.
The Lady Cards sustained their first loss 0-2 on Oct. 15 against Colorado University Club team.
The game was a physical match with several close attempted shots from both teams. The first goal scored against the Cards was in the first 30 minutes, when keeper Hannah Slinkard came sliding out to take the pass and was accidentally kicked in the head. While Slinkard was down, the opposing team scored.
On Oct. 14, the women defeated Laramie County Community College 2-0. According to NJCAA polls at the time, both teams were ranked in the top 15 for Division I sports.
In the first 10 minutes, forward Carissa Christensen got past the left back and crossed the ball to Anna Valentine, who sent it to Demi Wignot. Wignot volleyed the ball into the net to make it 1-0 in the first half. Christensen assisted in the first goal, but the second goal was all hers.
“The goal was all effort by Carissa,” said coach Dan Hogan. “She played a very good game.”
At their last two home games, the ladies were still on their winning streak. They defeated Western Wyoming Community College 7-1 on Oct. 7 and then tied the Gonzaga University club team 0-0 on Oct.9.
Coach Dan Hogan said that the game against the Gonzaga prep club team was a game that they just couldn’t “click” as well as they had in the past.
“That’s just the way soccer is sometimes,” Hogan said. “You have to hope for good things to happen. Unfortunately, today we just couldn’t get that goal.”
Coach Hogan said that the “aggression” from Gonzaga wasn’t that much more intense, just different then what they were used to from other teams. He said that’s what threw them off a little bit. Gonzaga was definitely more physical than other teams, but the girls weren’t intimidated.
“I think that’s why we let up like we did,” said Lauyrn Martel, 19, nursing, Bozeman, Mont. “We played calm, too calm.”
Hogan said the match on Oct.7 was the easier game of the weekend. He said they were able to take advantage of many scoring opportunities, and overall it would have been nice to have competition near their skill level.
