Your future, our focus
BY LEO WOLFSON CODY ENTERPRISE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Cody Enterprise
The Northwest College women’s soccer team is having a breakout season this year, off to their best start in nearly a decade.
This past weekend the Lady Trappers fell to Northeastern, and on Tuesday afternoon fell 1-0 to Western Wyoming on the road, improving their season record to 7-7-1.
On Saturday, Northwest went toe-to-toe with Northeastern Junior College, one of the best teams in their conference. The Trapper defense held the Plainsmen scoreless until the 85th minute when they scored on a cross pass to point-blank look at the net. Unfortunately that’s all it would take as Northwest would never find the back of the goal.
“I think we’re good enough to beat this team, I really do,” coach Rob Hill said.
Goalkeeper Alexa Williams said with better pass execution and more aggressiveness on offense the team can win games like these. She made 13 saves in the loss.
“I’m definitely excited to see the fire it puts under us after losing this game,” she said.
Williams was right as the team had just enough fire to beat Western, helped by her 14-save contribution.
On Saturday both men’s and women’s soccer teams celebrated sophomore day. Not only did players from both teams watch each other’s games, but there were also members of the volleyball and basketball teams on hand.
“It is a community and everyone is out supporting everyone,” she said. “The community and support you feel from everyone, it feels like home.”
Hill said when he took over the program last spring it needed a “new rebuild.” Even after he took over, the Trappers struggled during the COVID-shortened season last spring, only winning one of their 12 games.
But with the infusion of some new blood and giving his players a higher level understanding of the game, they’ve been able to reach new heights. And the Trappers have been doing it with only five sophomores on the 21-member roster.
“We’ve really been working on being first to the ball and just being more aggressive,” freshman forward Peyton Roswadovski said.
Roswadovski has been the Northwest team leader with 15 goals and an assist. She leads the conference and is tied for sixth in the nation in goals scored.
“Peyton leads by example just with her desire levels,” Hill said. “That’s somebody I think all the players should aspire to be like.”
He said Williams and defender Amrey Willoughby have also been critical on the defensive end.
“If you get 11, 12 or 13 of those guys with that same mentality, we don’t lose games,” he said.
The Trappers will square off against Laramie College in their first round playoff game on the road Friday. When they played earlier this year the Trappers lost 2-0.