Hutchinson CC Sports Information
ARKANSAS CITY – The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team dropped its second-straight game to an NJCAA-ranked opponent on Saturday.
The Blue Dragons dug an early hole against No. 7 Cowley and never fully climbed out in a 5-3 Jayhawk Conference loss to the Tigers and the Cowley Soccer Complex.
Hutchinson fell to 2-4-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons play host to Dodge City at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex. Cowley is now 4-1 overall and 3-1 in the KJCCC.
The Tigers scored a pair of goals in the first 23 minutes of the game and kept the Blue Dragons’ at arm’s length despite Hutchinson having its second-best offensive output this season.
Sophomores Olivia Tamaki, Ella Swearingen and Isabell Van Fleet scored goals for the Blue Dragons, who had a season high goal total in conference play this season. Sophie Knaab had two girls and an assist to lead the defending Region 6 champion Tigers.
Cowley outshot Hutchinson 14-13, including 10-8 in shots on goal.
Blue Dragon sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Loague had a career-high five saves in the game. Cowley keeper Ana Sofia Velasco also had five saves.
Down 2-0 after 23 minutes, Tamaki was fouled in the penalty box to give the Blue Dragons their first true scoring opportunity. Awarded a penalty kick, Velasco made the save on Tamaki’s PK, but couldn’t control the rebound and Tamaki booted it into the goal to cut the Cowley lead to 2-1 with 16:08 to play in the first half. Tamaki scored her fourth of the season and 13th career goal.
Cowley scored with 1:40 to play in the first half to take a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Just 40 seconds into the second half, the Blue Dragons pulled within one goal again when Swearingen scored her first goal of the season from a Zemyna Lekaviciute assist with 44:20 to play. The goal was Swearingen’s third career goal.
Cowley took full control of the game with goals in the 56th and 67th minute to build a 5-2 lead with 24:24 to play in the second half.
Van Fleet, after several shot attempts off the posted in the past three games, finally scored her first goal of the season with 4:20 to play. Tamaki had the assists to cut the Cowley lead to 5-3. The goal was Van Fleet’s ninth career goal.
The five goals allowed tied for second most in Blue Dragon history and they were the most ever allowed to Cowley. The Blue Dragons are 14-9-4 all-time against the Tigers, but are 0-5-3 in their last eight matches against the Tigers.
