Cowgirl goalkeeper Courtney Merkle punts the ball during a 2011 match against Cleveland State.
With their season beginning in the middle of August, predictions are already being made for end-of-season standings in women’s soccer. The Cowgirls are expected to place fifth in the 2012 regular season race. The prediction was reached by the Mountain West voting panel, which consists of eight league head coaches. If this prediction is correct, this will be the most successful season in Wyoming soccer history.
The Cowgirls soccer team is led by head coach Pete Cuandrado and assistant coaches Levi Evans and Matt Fannon. There are 25 players on the squad this year, including the starting 11. Like many teams here at UW that bring a lot of diversity, a majority of the members of the Cowgirl soccer team come from all over the map.
The Cowgirls began playing at a pre-season soccer exhibition in Denver.
In a last minute shot by the Denver team, the Cowgirls were defeated with a final of 2-1. Not letting the loss get them down, the Cowgirls took victory in another pre-season exhibition on their home turf with a 2-1 final score against rivals Colorado School of Mines.
The team officially kicked off their season hosting both the Montana Grizzlies and the Lamar Cardinals at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex. Through the intense competition, the Cowgirls fell to the Grizzlies with a 2-0 loss. After the loss, the team pulled it together to win against the Cardinals 3-1.
Their first home victory kept with the girls in high spirits as they competed against Montana State-Billings again at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex. With 31 total shots taken during the game, the Cowgirls escaped with a 6-5 victory. The team later traveled to Ogden, Utah to compete against the Wildcats where they won with a final score of 1-0.
With the soccer team on quite the winning streak, the Cowgirls took two more victories as they hosted games against both Nebraska-Omaha (4-2) and Eastern Washington (4-1). It was not until their most recent home game that the Cowgirls fell to defeat against Washington State with a final score of 3-2.
The Cowgirls are looking to host another home game this weekend against Colorado and Utah Valley. With one of the best starts to their season in Wyoming history, it is likely the team will continue their triumphant season.
