CC Spokane splits NWAC East openers versus Columbia Basin

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Both games started with scoreless draws through the first half, but the second stanza proved fruitful for the CC Spokane ladies in a 3-0 win against Columbia Basin College while the men continued to find misfortune in front of goal in a 2-0 defeat to the Hawks.

WOMEN - Columbia Basin College 0 :: 3 CC Spokane 

The lady Sasquatch kicked things off with a quality first half, but were unable to make the needed connections in the final third to turn the better of possession into a lead, though they came close in the 33rd. Erica Simpson played the ball out wide to Morgan Williams, who slipped it in to Alysha Overland inside the box only to see her chance from about seven yards fly past the near left post.

After the break, though, the Bigfoot were continually finding the gaps in the CBC defense and turned it into three goals. Six minutes in Sarah Melvin, deep in the box, dropped the ball back to the top of the box where Cali Moscrip floated a nice shot from about 28 yards between goalkeeper Stephanie Gibson's outstretched hand and the crossbar.

In the 65th minute a ball across the top of the box from the left found Makenzie Welch, whose shot was partially blocked by a defender, sending it towards the far corner inches out of the reach of Gibson.

Two minutes later a ball played along the left end line to Overland was put away at the near post from about five yards to put the game out of reach for the visiting Hawks.

"I think we overthought things in the first half really. We came out with a plan and didn't execute the plan well; couldn't seem to find our own team really. It's about as bad a half of soccer we have played all year in the first half," said CC Spokane women's Head Coach Jim Martinson. "They responded well in the second half, put things together and created a few more chances just doing their jobs. Everybody stuck in it and did their job better in the second."

MEN - Columbia Basin College 2 :: 0 CC Spokane 

Similar to the women's match, the Bigfoot men also held the better of play in the first half only to see the contest go into intermission deadlocked at zeros.

The Sasquatch had a great chance to claim the lead with five minutes remaining before halftime when Johnny Cortez got the ball drove to the end line on the right side of the box before cutting back and dropping it back to the top of the area where Marcellous Curtis ran onto it and rifled a shot that smacked off the crossbar.

Four minutes into the second half he got another look when a free kick from Spokane keeper Raymond Ruano was headed down at the top of the area. It came to Curtis and he let loose with a shot that hit the bar and popped up into the air. The resulting scramble in the box provided Cortez with a number of looks at goal inside the six, but goalkeeper Max Ramos made a pair of big saves to keep Spokane off the board.

"That's the way this game goes sometimes," said CC Spokane men's Head Coach Kenny Krestian. "I felt the guys had played well, did what we asked them to do. The only thing that didn't pan through was getting the ball into the back of the net."

"Marcellous hit both off the crossbar, and Johnny had a rough night. That's goal scorers for ya. Either they are firing on all cylinders or they're in a little bit of a funk. He's gonna score a lot of goals for us though."

The missed chances proved pivotal as the Hawks broke the stalemate in the 56th. A ball crossed in from the right after a partial clearance was nodded in by Alan Trevino.

A foul in the 69th gave CBC the opening for their second goal when Jair Dominguez delivered the restart into the box from the right side. It was misplayed by a Bigfoot defender, bouncing into the six where Esteban Ojeda turned and fired past Ruano.

"We gotta work a little bit on defending crosses and set pieces. We get better there and I think, you know what, hopefully this is a learning lesson for them."

The hosts nearly got their rally going with six minutes left when a corner sent in found its way to the top of the box. Cruz Galm came forward and ripped a shot toward the left post that deflected off the foot of a defender inside the box, redirecting toward the center of goal only to have Dominguez head it away off the line to prevent the tally.

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