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Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

MadyBarela10.25
Peyton Rutkowski
FLC freshman Madyson Barela scored a goal in Friday's 2-1 victory over Western Colorado.
0
Western Colo. WCU (2-11-1, 2-8-1)
2
Winner Fort Lewis FLC (4-6-3, 3-4-3)
Western Colo. WCU
(2-11-1, 2-8-1)
0
Final
2
Fort Lewis FLC
(4-6-3, 3-4-3)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Western Colo. WCU 0 0 0
Fort Lewis FLC 1 1 2

Game Recap: Women's Soccer | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

FLC freshmen lead the way in 2-0 victory over Western Colorado

DURANGO, Colorado — The Fort Lewis College women's soccer team kept its postseason hopes alive Friday afternoon, receiving a pair of goals from two freshman forwards, and the second consecutive clean sheet posted by freshman goalkeeper Katherine Dunbabin, en route to earning a 2-0 victory over Western Colorado University.

The win over the Mountaineers (2-11-1 overall, 2-8-1 RMAC) snapped a mini 0-3-1 streak and vaulted the Skyhawks back up into ninth place in the RMAC standings (4-6-3 overall, 3-4-3 RMAC), just three points behind the eighth and final postseason qualifying position.

"It's awesome we have so many kids and freshman kids willing to take this pressure on," said Fort Lewis College head women's soccer coach, Damian Clarke. "They're making sure we give ourselves a chance to stay in this playoff race for that eighth seed to get into the RMAC Tournament."

Fort Lewis tallied its first goal just 85 seconds before the intermission as junior defenseman Diana Sifuentes made a run along the left-side, fed a pass middle to freshman Madyson Barela, who created some room and fired a shot above the outstretched hands of Western Colorado goalkeeper, Kaeyla Noble.

It was the second goal of the season for Barela, and marked the second game-winning goal of the season for the native of Rio Rancho, New Mexico as she also netted the go-ahead goal in a 2-1 victory over Adams State back on Sept. 29.

"The timing of the goal was phenomenal. Diana had been trying to make it forward all game long and she made things dangerous. Things we've worked on in training showed up (Friday)," Clarke said. "Mady is a great finisher and we knew if we could get her in positions where we're on the attacking half, she'll put the ball on frame."

The Skyhawks were able to carry that 1-0 advantage into the break thanks in large part to a monster save made by Dunbabin at the 38:04 mark.

Western Colorado's Casey Elnicki walked in all alone, but was stonewalled by Dunbabin, who came sprinting out of her net to close off the angle and make the save on what would be the Mountaineers' best scoring chance of the afternoon.

"She had to make an excellent one-on-one save to ensure the game stayed at zeroes there in the first half," said Clarke of Dunbabin.

Fort Lewis was able to provide itself some cushion midway through the second half as freshman Ashley Strader scored her first career goal in the 61st minute.

Strader made an excellent individual effort, winning the race to a loose ball along the sidelines and powering her way around her defender and in toward the box before capping off the chance with a goal inside the far post.

"I was busy yelling at one of our other players to get in the box and I missed the move Ashley made, but her goal was again another example of a freshman kid stepping up and giving us chances to chase our goals," Clarke said.

Up next for the Skyhawks will be their Senior Day at 12 p.m. Sunday in a crucial matchup against rival Colorado Mesa University. The Mavericks currently sit in seventh place in the RMAC standings, just four points ahead of FLC.

"When you have eight seniors who, in my opinion, have dedicated themselves to the vision of our program, but haven't always gotten every result to go their way, you can't help but be proud of them for what they're doing and what they've done for the program," Clarke said. "Sunday's game will be critical. I think it is Colorado Mesa and us battling for that eighth spot. A win Sunday would put us in very good position going into the final weekend with things still in our hands."
 
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