Boise State takes on Wyoming during Game three of the MW Conference Women’s Soccer Championship held at the UNM Soccer Complex.
After playing in their final competition of the spring season last weekend, the Cowgirls’ soccer team proved they have come a long way. Showing improvement with each game, the team finished the off-season with a strong 6-2 record.
“We just had our last weekend of competition, we pulled off some really good results. It’s a great stepping stone for our upcoming season,” said junior midfielder Alison Clarke. “From the beginning of spring practices, we were just a bunch of individuals playing and it’s really cool to see how well we are playing as a team.”
The last eight weeks of play culminated at the Cowgirl’s most recent 4-0 win against Fort Lewis.
Redshirt freshman midfielder Alisha Bass achieved a hat trick in the team’s shutout win against Fort Lewis, accounting for three of the Cowgirls four goals.
“I think this past weekend was the best that we’ve played all spring,” said junior defender Kristin Howard. “We really came together.”
Using the off-season as an opportunity to make adjustments, get in shape and work on touches, the Cowgirls have seen substantial progress from where they left off in the fall season.
“We have been looking to get some girls a little more comfortable and to make sure we’re all on the same page,” said Cowgirl head coach Peter Cuadrado. “We want to get a little better on the attacking side of things. As we have been getting in the mix of things, we’ve been playing much better soccer than we did at times during the fall. Our defense is getting more comfortable, which is always nice to see.”
Wyoming gained victories over Colorado School of Mines, South Dakota, Western Colorado State, Utah Valley, Colorado Mesa and Fort Lewis. The team’s two losses came from a 4-3-overtime loss against Northern Colorado and a 3-0 defeat against the University of Utah.
The wins and losses provided the team with valuable minutes and a list of the team’s strength and weaknesses. Heading into the summer, the Cowgirls are looking to continue moving forward as a team, staying in shape to come back strong in the fall.
“I want us to continue off of our last win and to end spring with a big bang and a foot in the door for fall, because that’s when it really counts, in the fall,” said Howard. “I hope we all come back in shape – that’s the biggest thing in pre-season.”
And a conference title would also be nice.
“I want us to win the tournament so bad,” said Howard. “I want that ring.”
