WWCC Men's Soccer Avoids Loss Column in Week One

photos from Jen Atkinson and WWCC Soccer

ROCK SPRINGS -The Mustangs started the season with a draw and a win in week one. Former Tigers played key roles in the opening matches.

The home opening match for the 2015 Mustangs was on Friday in Rock Springs against the Northwest Kansas Technical College Mavericks. Head Coach Jeff Atkinson said the match was played “quickly and very physically.”

The Mavericks got on the board first when a cross took an advantageous bounce for NWKTC and with the wind got past Mustang keeper Mitch Jensen in the 11th minute. The Mustangs did not come unglued with the early opposition goal and continued with the game plan.

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In the 33rd minute the Mustangs saw a hole in the Maverick defense when a Jake Samsel square pass found Alan Wendlandt at the back post who easily put it past the Maverick keeper to even the score 1 – 1. The score remained the same for the rest of the first half.

The second half’s action was just as fast paced as the first half. The Mavericks were struck with a red card with about 30 minutes to play. NWKTC played with 10 men for the rest of the match. WWCC sadly evened the amount of players on the field when Jackson Hatch was also given a red card with about 10 minutes to play.

Again the officials had a say in the match when the Mavericks got their second red card of the match in the 85th minute. The rest of the match the Mavericks played with nine players while the Mustangs played with 10.

With 80 seconds left, the Mustangs were fouled and received a free kick about 25 yards from goal. Taylor Flitton stepped up to the free kick and slotted the ball around the wall and past the keeper for the game winning goal. The win brings Western’s record to 1 – 0 – 1 on the 2015 campain.

A Draw in the 2015 Season Opener

The 2015 Men’s Soccer Mustangs kicked off the regular season playing against the team that ended their post season last year, the Utah State – Eastern Golden Eagles. The match was in Price, Utah, on a very warm and smoky day.

“This was a great match to start a very promising season for Western,” Head Coach Jeff Atkinson said.

USU-E struck first with a goal coming off of a beautiful shot in the 24th minute. The Golden Eagle lead would remain 1 – 0 for the rest of the first half. Fouls and cards issued to Western would throw a curve ball into the Mustangs plans and strategy in the remainder of the first half.

After the half time break the Mustangs settled down and continued to play good soccer. Their efforts were rewarded in the 64th minute when Alex Sorenson redirected a free kick that found Jake Samsel’s feet. Samsel blasted a shot to the left post past the Golden Eagle keeper and into the net to even the score.

Atkinson said For the rest of regulation Western played very well and kept the opposition off of the board through good defense and three great saves from Mitch Jensen, the keeper.

NJCAA overtime is two 10 minute periods, sudden victory – meaning whomever scores first wins the match. USU-E and WWCC played very hard for the two overtime periods but no team found a goal and the match resulted in a 1 – 1 draw.

Up Next

Up Next for the Mustangs; Weber State Club Team – Friday August 28th in Ogden, Utah at 6 p.m.

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