The Wyoming Cowgirl soccer team boasted an impressive 1-0 win over D-II Colorado Mesa, one celebrating their seniors and a victory that has now allotted the Cowgirls a notable 4-1-1 start to the season.
While the Cowgirls have been hit-or-miss in drawing early first blood this season, their start against the Mavericks was anything but feverish.
Earlier this season, the Cowgirls managed to find the back of the net in a blazingly quick 25 seconds against Colorado, the fastest any team in school history has ever made a goal. The Cowgirls unfortunately fell 2-1 against the Buffaloes, but avenged the loss by blanking Georgia 1-0, a team ranked 13th in the nation at the time. The Cowgirls’ lone goal in that one came around the 10 minute mark.
It took the Cowgirls 67 minutes to find the scoreboard on a groggy and sluggish Sunday afternoon–however, that was all it took to pave the way to the Cowgirls’ fifth shutout of the season, three of which have all come in succession in their last three outings.
“It definitely felt like a Sunday game. We haven’t had too many two game weekends so far, so we knew we probably weren’t going to be as fast as we wanted to start,” Purdum said, as the Cowgirls had played as recently as three days earlier in an eerily similar 1-0 shutout over Idaho State where the Cowgirls scored in the 64th minute.
“We had our opportunities early with three corners right off the bat. We just need to capitalize on them,” Purdum added.
Alyssa Glover–as has been the case in most every game this season–had her hands all over this contest with seven shots, as well as an assist to Kiley Ballek, who ultimately scored the game winning goal.
“I always know when she gets it, I can work off of her very well,” Ballek said of their connection. “All credit to her for putting in that pass.
With the assist, Glover has now assisted or made a goal in all but one of the Cowgirls’ contests this season.
However, it has been the Cowgirls’ defense that has dragged much of their wins over the line, and today was no different–as goalkeeper Haley Bartel and her defensive unit are already encroaching upon the single-season record for shutouts. That record was coincidentally also set by Bartel and company last year at nine shutouts–and the Cowgirls are already well over halfway there with 12 contests still yet to come in the remainder of their season.
“We’re the best version of ourselves when we defend well,” Purdum said. “When we defend well we give ourselves a chance in the attack as well, so we’re going to continue to put an emphasis on the defensive side.”
The Cowgirls will now have to endure yet another lengthy road swing after returning home from a three game road stretch–this time with four straight road contests, starting with a matchup against South Dakota State on September 18. While four straight road games is hard on any team, Purdum is confident his team is up to the task.
“We need to show that we can win games on the road–and that’s been the case so far–but we have some tough challenges coming up in the next four games. We need to show that we can be consistent on the road as well as consistent at home.”
