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Successul swing through SoCal
The Real Colorado Cougars won two games during a three-game swing in Southern California, beating Ventura County and Los Angeles and falling to W-League powerhouse Pali Blues.
Beth West, Becca Mays and Brittney Macdonald scored for the Cougars in a 3-1 victory over Ventura County, and Kellyn Farrell, a right midfielder who is a recent graduate of South Dakota State, assisted on all three goals.
New Cougars goalkeeper, Taylor Vancil, who recently was playing for the U.S. U-17 national team, registered three saves.
Kay Hawke had five saves for the Fusion.
Against the L.A. Legends, Mays scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory.
The score came on a nifty bit of work by Cougars players in Real’s attacking third. Outside midfielder Karter Haug crossed the ball backward from the end line to the penalty mark, and forward Nicole Lukens set up Mays. The goal was the second for Mays, an All-American from Metropolitan State College, in her W-League debut weekend.
Los Angeles, which Real Colorado characterized as an improved side from last season, applied pressure in the second half, forcing Vancil to make eight saves in the second 45 minutes of play.
The Cougars made the California road trip without Kristin Arnold, Kendra Chandhoke, Keelin Winters and Bri Young, who had been selected to join the U.S. U-23 national team in games at Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“To pick up six points with four of our U.S. national team players in Ireland is an indication of the depth of the Real Colorado program,” said Cougars assistant coach James Harris, who was at the helm for the Real Colorado on the trip.
The middle game of last weekend’s California trip was at Pacific Palisades, and the defending W-League champion Pali Blues won 2-0. A defensive lapse cost the Cougars early. Mexican international Iris Mora was nearly pulled down outside the box, but she managed to elude her defender and scored. Less than two minutes later, Pali struck again.
The Cougars will host 2008 W-League semifinalist Seattle at 5 p.m. May 29 at Shea Stadium in Highlands Ranch. For directions to Shea Stadium, go to the Real Colorado Cougars Web site.
Part of the proceeds from a pregame barbecue and sales of Cougars media guides will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.
George Tanner is a former writer and editor for the Rocky Mountain News; the Greeley Tribune; The Daily Independent of Ridgecrest, Calif.; the Durango Herald; and the Boulder Daily Camera. He is a graduate of the University of Colorado and an associate professor at Metropolitan State College of Denver. E-mail him at ColoradoSoccerNow@gmail.com.
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