On a hot 95 degree-day, Northern Colorado women’s soccer battled the New Mexico State Aggies at Jackson Field.
“Whether it is 95 degrees or 50 degrees, this team’s got to come out and compete,” said UNC coach Tim Barrera.
The Bears, who are 5-1 on the season, competed well with two goals in the first period and two in the second to beat the Aggies 4-1.
The game started fast for UNC, and New Mexico struggled to keep up.
After three minutes of play, UNC senior forward Brooke Braden brought the ball out to the left corner and fired a bullet to fellow senior forward Aleah Strength, who delivered UNC’s first goal from eight feet out.
Later in the first half, Braden had possession of the ball again and picked up a second assist when she crossed the ball to sophomore midfielder Kylee Duren, who scored in the lower right corner just inside 44 minutes.
UNC finished the first period with 14 shots, twice as many as New Mexico State.
The second half started similar to the first, but this time it was different players getting the job done.
Once again, in just over three minutes of play, senior middle Jacqui Pulley and junior forward Maddie Roberts assisted a lower right goal by sophomore middle Olivia Seddon, and Roberts had a quick cross to Olivia Seddon.
It wasn’t until 18 minutes into the second half that New Mexico State freshman Jody Hernandez fired a long fly ball over UNC senior goalkeeper Madeline Burdick’s head. Hernandez’s unassisted goal put New Mexico State on the board 3-1.
At the end of the game, with three minutes of play left, Roberts delivered a final dagger when she kicked a goal into the lower left, assisted by junior forward Mariel Gutierrez.
“We’re a big team with a bunch of new players,” said Roberts. “We work well together. Everyone contributed in today’s game.”
The Bears made 10 substitutions throughout the game.
“We used a lot of players,” said coach Barrera. “Those substitutions worked to our advantage. We tried to wear them down and make crosses across the field. And as you can see, the four goals we scored came from crosses.”
UNC returns home Friday to face North Dakota State at 7 p.m. before traveling to the University of Wyoming for a game at 1 p.m. Sunday.
