October - Wingspan

30 WingspansportsOctober 12, 2009lccc.wy.edu/wingspanWomen’s soccerCody TuckerSoccer team holds national spotEagles knock off Navarro, No. 3 in nationBy Cody TuckerCo-sports EditorIt isn’t easy beingin the Top 10, nomatter what sport,division or classification,but the LaramieCounty CommunityCollege women’s soccerteam showed theynot only belongedthere, but they werealso a force to be reckonedwith.During the courseof Sept. 16–Oct. 7, thesixth-ranked LadyEagles have compileda record of eight wins,no losses and two ties.For the season theteam’s record is 11-1-2, with 3-0-1 in theregion.With only fivehome games in a10-game stretch,LCCC has proven theycan play anywhere,anytime and win. TheLady Eagles are youngand resilient, but headcoach Jim Gardnersaid he can still seeroom for improvement.On Oct.7 theteam tied WesternNebraska CommunityCollge in two overtimes.With 25 shots,12 corner kicks, thewomen could notscore. Michaela Boydand Emi Yamamotaeach recorded foursshots on goal. Goalkeeper Emily Michnahad seven saves.The first weekendof October broughttwo nationally rankedteams to Cheyenne.The 13 th -rankedNorth Idaho CollegeCardinals rolled inon Saturday, Oct. 2,for the first game ofthe weekend with theLady Eagles. Boydgot the LCCC on theboard in the 18 th minuteon a windy day inthe capital city.In the second half,Yamamoto addedwhat would eventuallybe the gamewinninggoal in the56 th minute. The LadyEagles played mostof the game on theCardinals’ side of midfield. The Cardinalsadded a garbage goalin the 90 th minute, butthe Lady Eagles wouldprevail and win their10 th game of the year.Sunday, Oct. 4,would bring muchstiffer competition forthe Lady Eagles—orso they thought.The Lady Eaglestook on the No. 3team in the nation inNavarro CommunityCollege fromCorsicana, Texas. Thisgame was tightly contestedin the first halfas expected, with theonly goal of the halfcoming off the foot ofYamamoto in the 42 ndminute. But, in thesecond half, it was apparentthat the wind,rain, cold and altitudeof Cheyenne were gettingto Navarro.The team fromTexas looked uncomfortableall daywith temperatureshovering around 35degrees, and the LadyEagles played on theirside of the field formost of the game.In the second half,Kelsey Gapter startedthe scoring in the 76 thminute, assisted byYamamoto.Nearly 3 minuteslater, Boyd crashedthe net and wasfouled by the Navarrogoaltender. The foullead to a penalty kickthat was converted byYamamoto, and therout was on.Boyd finishedoff Navarro in the81 st minute with anunassisted goal. Goalkeeper Michna wasn’ttested very often inthis one, but whenshe was, she came upbig. Michna and theLady Eagles picked uptheir fifth shutout ofthe season and rolledto the upset win 4–0.“I think we areright where we shouldbe,” Gardner said.“We are a qualityteam that should beable to get there(nationals). On paper,if we had to do it withwho we play, we arethe best team in thedistrict.”With the upsetof the No. 3 team inthe nation, the LadyEagles have now becomethe hunted andnot the hunter. “We’vebeen in the underdogrole, and now we haveto be able to playwith people wantingto beat us. It’s a hardthing,” Gardner said.The Lady Eaglesmade a statementthat weekend: Theyare for real. With theirnational rankingsure to climb, CoachGardner doesn’t wantthat to be the focus.“It’s a nice thingto have, but it meansnothing,” Gardnersaid. The only thingthat matters is the lastthree games of theyear where you playat regionals and districts.It means somethingto the school,but we were rankedthird last year anddidn’t get to nationals.So, rankings don’tmean anything tillyou get to the end.”The one thingknown is the LadyEagles are on fire andare showing no signsof slowing.On Sept. 30,the Lady Eaglesheaded to RockSprings. to take onregion IX opponentWestern WyomingCommunity College.On a cold WesternWyoming day, LCCCwon a tight one 2—1.Yamamoto got theEagles on the boardfirst, finding the backof the net in the 28 thminute. WWCC wouldanswer, but GoldenEagle Cori Mizel putthe Eagles in front forgood, scoring in the50 th minute to seal thedeal for LCCC.On Sunday, Sept.27, the Lady Eagleswent up against theLady Mavericks fromNorthern OklahomaCommunity College.This one was uglyfrom the start withLCCC blasting theLady Mavs 8—0. Thescoring began whenBoyd found the backof the net in the 6 thminute of play.Yamamoto scoredthe second goal in the20 th minute, assistedby Rock Springs nativeMizel. Lander,Wyo., native SarahNewell scored lessthan 3 minutes later,putting the LadyEagles up 3–0.Scoring in the firsthalf didn’t stop there.Buffalo, Wyo., nativeBrittany Palczewskiscored back-to-backgoals in a two-minutespan, taking LCCC upto the half up 5–0.The second halfwas much of thesame. Yamamoto nettedthe Lady Eagles’sixth goal of the contestand her fourth ofthe weekend.“Her biggestthreat is she is olderand more mature,”Gardner said ofYamamoto. “I am veryimpressed with her.I wish I could findother players like her.They are rare.”In the 72 nd minute,LCCC really startedpouring it on withtwo goals from twofreshmen ElizabethHennum and FlorVeronica. Assists inthe game were dishedout by Parkhurst,Boyd, Zamora,Ledesma and Gillett.‣ ¾Soccer continuedPage 31