NWC MEN FALL TO CENTRAL

BY SETH ROMSA TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune

Losing consecutive games for the first time this season has put the Northwest College men's soccer team below .500 in Region IX action, as the Trappers fell on the road to Central Wyoming College 4-2 on Saturday.   

CENTRAL WYOMING 4, NORTHWEST 2

Northwest made the trip to Riverton on Saturday hoping to return to winning, as the Trappers (6-4 overall, 2-3 Region IX) took a smaller roster to take on the Rustlers (4-5-1 overall, 3-2 Region IX).

"We had some in-house disciplinary stuff so we went down with a squad of 14," coach Rob Hill said.

Northwest got on the board first 14 minutes into the game, when Cameron Low put home a low cross from Josh Hatton to make it 1-0.

Central answered back 15 minutes later, with a ball in behind held up at the edge of the box and being fired home into the bottom left corner to tie the game 1-1.

Just two minutes later the Rustlers took the lead, as another corner kick goal reared its ugly head as the hosts headed it home to make it 2-1.

"To get the first goal, I thought it was a very good goal from Cam, great cross from Josh," Hill said. "Then we conceded from a set piece, very similar to the goal we conceded against Casper, a front post header."

Northwest had chances late in the first half and early in the second half, with those chances being turned aside before the Trappers finally got their equalizer 10 minutes into the second half.

That opportunity came on a penalty kick after a foul was called on the edge of the box, which Jake Coltart placed in the opposite direction of the diving keeper to make it 2-2.

Central reclaimed the lead with 15 minutes left in the match, scoring on a cross that was tapped in to make it 3-2.

The Rustlers found one more goal with just over 10 minutes remaining, when a giveaway by the Trappers in their own half led to a chase down tackle in the box and a foul being called, resulting in a penalty kick the hosts put home to make it 4-2.

"Very disappointing result, but I will say that even though we had 14, they absolutely worked their socks off and we had three very good chances in the first and second half," Hill said. "I mean, when you look at the actual shots, they got three shots on goal and they scored three times … that's unfortunately the way it went … Then the fourth goal was a penalty. They were 100% so what can you do with that? It was a disappointing result, but the guys were very hard working. They gave everything and created good chances."

KEY CONTESTS

The men, just like the women, need victories late in the season in order to lock up a postseason spot in the Region IX tournament.

The final four games of the regular season will start on the road, when the Trappers take on Laramie County Community College (5-3-1 overall, 4-2-1 Region IX) at 1 p.m. on Friday.

Northwest then heads to Scottsbluff to take on Western Nebraska Community College (3-4-5 overall, 3-2-2 Region IX) at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

"LCCC have had very mixed results. They're always hard working, they're always very direct, they always bring high pressure. So we will have to be at the top of our game," Hill said. "Western Nebraska again, mixed results, so very difficult to judge them by. But a different surface the second day. Long grass, slower pitch. We've got to win those games."

Hill is hopeful with the team returning to full strength and starting to refocus late in the season that the men will hit their stride again late in the year, needing to win all four of their final games to lock up a postseason spot and have a shot at a home contest.

"If we get the 12 points we'll be on a four game win streak which we did last year for the postseason and clinch a home game," Hill said. "So the guys are fully aware of what they need to do, and getting a full strength squad back with only one injury besides the other three that are out for the season, we'll be back at full strength. So hopefully the guys will kind of hit a reset button from Casper and Central and realize that they've got to win the last four games, and it's going to be tough.

"I said to them yesterday (Monday), get back to loving the game again, but get back to loving to play together again and put the setbacks behind us … They're more than capable of doing it. They were good in training yesterday (Monday), attitude was good, work ethic was good. So I'm hopeful."