Jacob Wilson

Big First Half Lifts Tornado Over Wildcats

10/1/2017 2:11:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Todd Ryals

Box Score

Saturday morning the Louisiana College woman's soccer team welcomed the Concordia Univ. Tornadoes to Wildcat Stadium for an American Southwestern Conference showdown. A rough first half for the Cats was enough for Concordia to score five goals and secure the victory.

The flow of the game was primarily in the Tornadoes favor outlasting the Cats under the cloudless sky and putting them away early. In the third minute, Jaime Trahan had the best and only shot on frame in the first for LC, finding space just inside the 18-yard box and firing toward Shelby Franco's goal. The shot did not have much pace on the ball giving the Tornado keeper time to save the shot.

On the other end of the field, Concordia had their own chance on goal. Possessing and moving the ball forward the Tornadoes were threatening the Cats, finding space wide Kaycee Moore received the ball. With fellow Tornadoes running into the box Moore crossed the ball from the right side of LC, the bouncing pass met Kayla Carlove in the box with time to fire at Cat keeper Haley Clark. Using the left foot Carlove placed the ball across Clark's body and into the left side of the goal. The goal put the Cats behind early in the seventh minute.

The attack fizzled down for a while but the first half was far from over for the Cats. For a period of time after the Wildcats were able to hold onto the ball but Concordia dropped numbers behind the ball made it hard to create anything dangerous.

The Tornadoes took advantage of the lack of Wildcat attack and crowded the LC half, maintaining most of their possession there. Wearing down the defense after constant switching of play the Tornadoes found a hole in the Cat defense. Saray Olivarez got past an LC midfielder and played a perfect pass to Cayla Gonzalez taking her just outside the box, she would fire the ball hitting the underside of the round goal crossbar deflecting it across the line for the second goal in the 32nd.

It did not take long for the Tornadoes to return down the field and try Clark's goal for a third. Quickly regaining the ball after the restart, Concordia pushed numbers forward and looked for goal. A save from Clark looked to have slowed down the Tornadoes but the LC offense could not hold onto the ball losing it right back for a counter.

The defense slowed the ball down keeping it away from the 18 but that was not enough. Accepting the distance given and the Olivarez pass, Carlove would try her luck from distance. Floating the ball over everyone to the left corner of the goal beating Clark's jump for the third goal in the 33rd minute.

From there the game would be its worst for the Cats as the Tornadoes did not release any pressure and continued to attack.

Minutes later in the 37th, Skylar Larkin would remember the previous goal and send one high towards goal. Shooting from distance, the shot caused Clark to jump but the ball was too high catching her fingertips and falling in for the fourth.

Still hungry for more the Tornadoes put LC in a bind and fired more at goal. Two back-to-back saves from Clark kept the Cats from more damage but the third shot would be the killer blow. Off a rebounded save, Pamela Lasprilla would fire the ball and Clark would get a hand to it but the shot was too hard hitting the back of the net. The 42nd minute goal was the fifth and last goal of the half and game.

The second half was a lot smoother for the Cats. A keeper change to Lexi Tate and some energy to try and grab a goal back. Four saves from Tate kept the score as it was but the limited attack from LC did not help the cause. Two shots were created in the second and both saved by Tornado keeper Haley Dennett. A second Trahan rocket and a McKenna Raines' header in the 58th and 60th minute were the best LC would do.

The game would enter into a slow game of shape shifting. Moving the ball side-to-side and waiting for something to form. The Tornadoes found some holes and turned them into shots and corners but nothing ever materialized and the game finished 5-0 behind the dominant first half.

The Cats fall to 0-7-2 on the season and 0-5 in conference. Their next game is on the road in Abilene, TX against the War Hawks of McMurry Univ. on Thursday, kicking off at 5 p.m.. For more on the Lady Wildcats follow them on FaceBook under Louisiana College Women's Soccer and Twitter at LC_WSOC.

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