Teams sweep weekend opponents

Northwest College opened the home portion of its 2012 soccer schedule sporting a new scoreboard in the northwest corner of Trapper Field. They spent the remainder of the weekend ensuring that it got a workout.

Both teams improved to 4-2 on the year as they prepare to open conference play this week.

“Our focus this past week in practice has been on the offensive end and getting the girls into the attack and into the box,” said Trapper women’s coach Kaylin Olivas. “In two games this weekend, you saw us score 11 goals, so it’s nice to see that the girls are learning and applying what we’re doing in practice in game situations.”

Northwest wasted little time showcasing its offense on Friday. Sheridan freshman Sydney Waggener scored just three minutes into the game on a feed from Samhia Simao. Six minutes later, Simao was on the receiving end of a Leeann Payne pass to put NWC on top 2-0 with less than 10 minutes elapsed.

Simao scored again in the 27th minute, this time on a Charlie Streek feed, to give Northwest a 3-0 halftime lead. Simao completed her hat trick five minutes into the second half as she scored on a Lindsay Nieters assist.

North Idaho rallied for goals in the 58th and 66th minutes to complete the scoring for the game.

On Sunday, Northwest again struck for three goals in the first half of a 7-4 goalfest. Rickie Ryan scored in the seventh and 39th minutes to account for two of those scores. Sandwiched between in the eighth minute was a Miriam Gelderloos goal as the Trappers again opened a 2-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of action.

Northwest added a second-half flurry into the net as Simao scored a pair of goals just minutes apart. Nieters added a goal during that spurt, which spanned from the 63rd to the 68th minute of action to give Northwest a 6-2 lead. Cassidy Aguilar assisted on two of the goals.

Streek wrapped up Northwest’s scoring in the 76th minute with a goal assisted by Brandi Roetzel.

The Trapper women were whistled for four penalty kicks in the game. Goalkeeper Katie Duffy proved up to the challenge by turning away three of the four strikes, although Salt Lake was able to score on a rebound off one of the shots before Duffy was able to scramble to her feet.

“She set a single game record with 14 saves in the game,” said Olivas. “She came up big and was saving balls off corners. She played very solid.”

The Trapper men also got off to a fast start against Salt Lake. Jake Ombach scored just eight minutes into the contest, bending a shot from the left wing into the far upper corner of the goal to give the Trappers a 1-0 lead that held up until intermission.

Dean Johnson added a goal just two minutes into the second half, but Salt Lake answered moments later making the game 2-1. The Trappers were finally able to open some daylight midway through the second half as Kevin Fekete and Gage Woodward scored just seconds apart to stretch the Trappers’ lead to 4-1.

Sergio Rodriguez assisted on both goals during that outburst.

The Trappers went on to add another Johnson goal and a Dakota Dragoo strike in the game’s final 12 minutes to give the contest a 6-1 final score.

In Friday’s game against North Idaho, the visiting school struck first with a goal 14 minutes in. Northwest leveled the score in the 24th minute as Jamie McMorrow scored off a Fekete assist.

North Idaho regained the lead five minutes later. Their 2-1 lead was still the score as the game reached intermission.

North Idaho’s lead persisted well into second-half play. The Trappers finally pulled level on a Marcus Couldridge goal in the 72nd minute as Johnson notched the assist. Cody freshman Wyatt Fabrizio shot the Trappers into the lead three minutes later off a feed from McMorrow.

Kris Mull delivered a clinching dagger for the Trappers with seven minutes remaining as he scored off an assist from Devin Farnes to give the game its final 4-2 score.

Northwest hosts Western Wyoming in a doubleheader kicking off at 1 p.m. on Friday. The teams host Laramie County for a Saturday women’s/men’s double feature. Those games also start at 1 p.m.

The weekend contests represent the Trappers’ first Region IX action of the 2012 soccer season.