They were two completely different games, but the CC Spokane Bigfoot opened defense of their 2015 East Division titles with a pair of victories Saturday night on the opening day of NWAC league play. The ladies dominated with a 7-2 victory over Wenatchee Valley College in which Erica Simpson (Post Falls, ID) and Stephanie Overland (Moses Lake, WA) recorded hat-tricks. In the second half of the doubleheader the Sasquatch men squeaked by the Knights with a lone penalty kick on a handball deciding the contest.
Walla Walla CC also swept Treasure Valley CC to open the season, getting a pair of 2-0 victories with Haley Berryman (Ephrata, WA) with the highlight performance with two goals.
North Idaho College also picked up a pair of wins on the day, though in separate locations. The men won a narrow 1-0 decision at Columbia Basin College thanks to 13 saves from Garrett Boyce (Coeur d'Alene, ID) while the ladies crushed league newcomer Blue Mountain CCC 9-0 with Sadie Schmeling (Post Falls, ID) tallying a hat-trick.
Columbia Basin's women also lost in their opener Saturday, falling 3-1 at Yakima Valley College. Three different players scored, for the Yaks, but Baneza Gonzalez-Nunez set up the first two for YVC, who now look to improve on last year's one-win league campaign that also started with a season-opening win over CBC.
WOMEN ##############
Saturday, September 10
Wenatchee Valley 2 :: 7 Spokane
The defending champs came out firing and were well in command with two goals in the opening four minutes. Erica Simpson (Post Falls, ID) scored two minutes in on a corner from Cali Moscrip (Lewiston, ID) and two minutes later Sydney Weiler (Spokane, WA) struck on a free kick. Katie Michkiosky (Wenatchee, WA) made things interesting, scoring on a free kick for the Knights in the 16th, but Simpson tallied twice in less than a minute for a 4-1 lead in the 28th minute. Weiler assisted on the first and Stephanie Overland (Moses Lake, WA) found her for the second before going on to net one herself in the 32nd minute for a four goal halftime advantage. Madeline Kaiser netted in the 75th for WVC, but Overland capped the game in fine fashion, joining Simpson with hat-tricks on the night with goals in the 77th and 84th. Weiler tallied her third assist on the first and Simpson helped create the second. PHOTOS [+]
Walla Walla 2 :: 0 Treasure Valley
Haley Berryman (Ephrata, WA) scored twice in the first half and Paige Kubista (Nampa, ID) made seven saves to blank a Chukars side that scored 26 goals in the non-conference slate. Berryman scored the first just four minutes into the match and Nohemy Sanchez (Emmett, ID) found her in the 40th for the second.
North Idaho 9 :: 0 Blue Mountain
The newcomers were no match for the Cardinals, who scored nine and forced saves on 17 other shots while Tiegan Horton (Dalton Gardens, ID) posted a clean sheet at the other end without a single save. Sadie Schmeling (Post Falls, ID) scored the opener in the fifth minute and went on to score two more in the 46th and 50th. Jessica Scott (Post Falls, ID) netted in the 21st and Emily Aspden in the 23rd before Megan Lowery (Hayden, ID) tallied in the 25th. Lowery also recorded three assists. Rounding out the scoring were Marisol Guerero, Madeline Roberts (Post Falls, ID) and Monique Queen (Coeur d'Alene, ID).
Columbia Basin 1 :: 3 Yakima Valley
Mayra Fuentes (Wapato, WA) put the Yaks on the board seven minutes into the contest courtesy of Baneza Gonzalez-Nunez (Yakima, WA), but the Hawks answered in the 20th when Alyne VanWinkle found Madison Gatherum (Richland, WA). Gonzalez-Nunez set up another go-ahead goal just after the hour mark when she found Katie Balauro (Deer Park, WA), who later set up a late insurance strike by Cami Pfliger (Richland, WA) to clinch the victory in the 89th minute.
Coming Up...
Wednesday, September 14
North Idaho @ Treasure Valley
Spokane @ Columbia Basin
Walla Walla @ Wenatchee Valley
Saturday, September 17
Treasure Valley @ Columbia Basin
Wenatchee Valley @ North Idaho
Walla Walla @ Spokane
MEN ##############
Saturday, September 10
Wenatchee Valley 0 :: 1 Spokane
Eric Sanchez-Flores converted from the penalty spot after a handball was called on a defender attempting to bring down a ball lofted into the box in the 50th minute. Kevin Alvaraz made two saves while keeping the clean sheet for Spokane. At the other end Jorge Villegas (Sunnyside, WA) made six saves. PHOTOS & VIDEO [+]
Walla Walla 2 :: 0 Treasure Valley
Sam Borja (Kennewick, WA) found Shambel West (Pasco, WA) for the go-ahead goal in the 32nd minute of the contest and Missael Lopez (Tieton, WA) tallied in the 69th to add some insurance. Jorge Llerenas (Pasco, WA) made four saves for the shutout.
North Idaho 1 :: 0 Columbia Basin
Eric Maldonado (Coeur d'Alene, ID) scored the deciding goal in the 50th minute on a saved shot by Koby Murphree (Coeur d'Alene, ID). Goalkeeper Garrett Boyce (Coeur d'Alene, ID) made 13 saves as the Cardinals were outshot 19-10. CBC finished with nine men with Juan Licea (Yakima, WA), the leading scorer in preseason, and Angel Garcia (Kennewick, WA) being sent off in the 74th and 80th minutes.
Coming Up...
Wednesday, September 14
North Idaho @ Treasure Valley
Spokane @ Columbia Basin
Walla Walla @ Wenatchee Valley
Saturday, September 17
Treasure Valley @ Columbia Basin
Wenatchee Valley @ North Idaho
Walla Walla @ Spokane
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