Your future, our focus
Opening up the regular season at home, the Northwest College men’s soccer team stumbled in the first pair of games at home last Thursday and Saturday — dropping contests 6-2 to Utah State University Eastern and 1-0 to Truckee Meadows, Nevada.
USU EASTERN 6, NORTHWEST 2Welcoming in the Golden Eagles (2-0) to start the season, the Trappers (0-2) fell behind early against the visitors on Thursday.
A tight decision on a through ball saw a Golden Eagle onside behind the defense. They ball was then slotted home to give USU Eastern a 1-0 lead 15 minutes into the game.
A second goal came 29 minutes into the game, after goalkeeper Inigo Chavarria Bezunartea came out to clear a ball but was unable to get to it in time and the ball ended up in the back of the net to make it 2-0.
It appeared to be a 2-0 contest going into the half, but a free kick snuck its way into the back of the net with under 30 seconds left to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.
On the other side of the halftime whistle the visitors found a goal once again after a steal and strong through ball led to a goal and made it 4-0.
A free kick eight minutes into the second half was deflected and eventually found its way into the back of the net to make it 5-0.
Northwest got a goal on a penalty kick with 30 minutes left, after a defender dragged a Trapper down in the box on a corner kick.
Pedro Nunez scored the penalty kick and gave Northwest a sliver of life in the final half hour.
USU Eastern answered once again to make it 6-1, before John Joe Mullane scored to make it 6-2.
“We never solved the problem and they stayed with a high press,” coach Rob Hill said. “We never changed what we were doing. That was a big lesson and a big wake up call. We were slow, lethargic and unwilling to work.”
The Golden Eagles outshot the Trappers 15-4 in the match.
TRUCKEE MEADOWS 1, NORTHWEST 0A day off allowed Northwest to regroup, and the Trappers came out with more purpose against the Lizards on Saturday (1-1-1).
Northwest started the game with more purpose, having more possessions and creating more clear cut chances throughout the first half.
The Trappers were unable to find a final ball in the attacking third, and were unable to find the back of the net.
In the second half, a turnover near midfield gave the Lizards an opportunity to shoot — finding goalkeeper Harvey Bolland off his line from 40 yards out to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Northwest was unable to find an answer late, and fell to 0-2 after the 1-0 defeat.
“We didn’t create clear chances and that’s something we are looking to change in the coming games,” Hill said. “There were a lot more positives to come out of that game.”
Truckee Meadows outshot the Trappers 11-9, while the teams combined to commit 38 fouls and had seven yellow cards shown in the match.
ROAD TRIPNorthwest heads out on the road for three games this week, starting in Craig, Colorado, with a pair of matches against Colorado Northwestern on Friday and Saturday.
“I’m getting a good idea of who works well together and who has the mentality to compete,” Hill said. “We may look to change formation to create more chances in front of goal … I think once we get that goal it’ll be a sigh of relief for the team.”
Northwest continues the road trip next week, heading to Gillette on Wednesday afternoon to take on the Pronghorns.