Cowgirls Drop First Match to Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa  – Senior defender Katie Marcheso twice netted equalizing goals for the Cowgirls, but a late goal from the Hawkeyes would give Iowa the win on Sunday afternoon, 3-2.

A barrage of Iowa (3-1-0) shots in the early going resulted in a 10th-minute goal, which left Wyoming (2-1-1) trailing for the first time this season. The Cowgirls struggled to generate offense over the first half hour of play, not tallying their first shot until the 32nd minute. Not long after, though, Marcheso put home her first goal of 2016 to level the score.

The score would remain at 1-1 heading into the intermission, which lasted more than an hour due to a rain delay, but the game would finally resume with both teams looking to earn a positive result. Wyoming struck first in the 74th minute after earning a penalty kick. With one goal already to her credit, Marcheso buried her opportunity to put the Cowgirls in front.

 

“It’s a very tough loss,” head coach Pete Cuadrado said. “This one hurts a lot. To have a 2-1 lead with 13 minutes left in regulation and lose 3-2 is tough. I thought we played pretty well for the first 70 minutes. Unfortunately, you have to play 90 and we had a few mental lapses that cost us the game. Hopefully we learn from this one and it makes us better.”

 

The lead proved to be short-lived, however, as the Hawkeyes earned a penalty of their own just three minutes later to bring the score even again at 2-2. Iowa’s Bri Toelle, who netted the game’s first goal, then bookended the day’s scoring in the 82nd minute. Her second goal would be enough to earn the Hawkeyes the win. Devin Burns of Iowa, who was involved in both of Toelle’s goals, finished the day with a game-high two assists.

Marcheso’s two-goal game marked the first multiple-goal performance from a Cowgirl since junior forward Shaina Ashouri notched three goals against Idaho State last season (9/18/15). Marcheso also jumped to the top of Wyoming’s points list, now leading the team with four. Junior defender Alisha Bass and junior goalkeeper Georgia Rowntree each played a full 90 minutes. Rowntree has played every minute of the 2016 season thus far, and Bass has played complete games in Wyoming’s last three contests.

Up next for the Cowgirls is a weekend road slate. Wyoming will first play UTEP on Friday at 7 p.m. MT, and then end its three-game road trip at New Mexico State on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. MT.

 

 

 

Cowgirls Draw with Montana

LARAMIE – Wyoming soccer went to extra frames for the first time this season after a Montana goal late in regulation, but nothing could separate the teams after two overtime periods. The Cowgirls and Grizzlies ended the contest locked at 1-1 on Friday night at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

The Cowgirls (2-0-1) outshot the Grizzlies (2-0-1) 13-4 and put seven shots on goal to the visitors’ one. Wyoming’s goal came in the 57th minute when sophomore midfielder Annika Clayton perfectly threaded a pass between two defenders, leaving freshman forward Michaela Stark one-on-one with

Montana’s goalkeeper. Stark slotted her shot to the lower-left corner to give Wyoming the lead.

Wyoming locked down defensively for the remainder of the half, looking to earn the win on Stark’s first-career goal. Montana’s Hallie Widner played the spoiler in the 87th minute with a headed shot from Ashlee Pedersen’s cross that found the back of the net.

Both teams played safely in the extra periods, not wanting to concede the sudden-death goal. Wyoming tallied two shots while Montana failed to put up one, and neither team managed to find a game-winner.

“I thought we had a lot of heart and we battled,” said head coach Pete Cuadrado. “We had one momentary lapse where a player made a great play. I felt like we didn’t give away much the entire game, but Montana had one golden opportunity and took advantage of it. They’re a good team and a good program.”

Stark and Clayton, the two Cowgirls involved in Wyoming’s goal, each made their first start of the season on Friday evening. Clayton’s assist marked the second of her career, and she now leads the team in points (3) with one goal and one assist. Stark, Clayton and junior defender Alisha Bass each put more shots on goal (2) than the Grizzlies totaled as a team. Bass and junior goalkeeper Georgia Rowntree both played the entire 110 minutes of the game.

 

Mountain West Conference Standings

non-conference

UNLV 4-0-0

San Jose St. 2-1-1

Wyoming 2-1-1

Air Force 1-1-1

Colorado College 2-2

Colorado St. 2-2

Boise St. 1-2

New Mexico 1-2

Utah State 1-2

San Diego St. 0-1

Nevada 0-2

Fresno St. 0-3.