(HCC Sports Information)
Sophomores Miranda Holmes, Madison Joyce and Alicia Robinson scored two goals each and nine different players scored goals as the NJCAA fifth-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team won their seventh Region VI opening-round game in as many years with a 13-0 victory over Dodge City on Monday at the USD 308 Athletic Complex.
The Jayhawk Conference co-champion Lady Dragons (15-2) advance to the Region VI semifinals and will meet Johnson County (13-4-3) in the second semifinal matchup at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka. Johnson County defeated Neosho County 3-0 on Monday. Butler and Cloud County will meet in the first semifinal at 11 a.m.
“We have scored a lot of goals from the outside, from distance,” HCC head coach Sammy Lane said. “That really helps in close games. It’s an added weapon, especially with the wind. It was nice to see everybody scoring today.”
Hutchinson set postseason team records for goals and margin of victory. The 13 goals were the eighth-most goals ever scored in team history. The eight assists tied a team postseason record.
Joyce had two goals and two assists for six points, which ties a postseason record. Robinson had two goals and an assists to score five points, which makes her HCC’s career postseason points leader (12 points). Sophomore Pearl Slattery had three assists to tie a postseason record.
Holmes scored her first and second career goals in the 2011 postseason opener. She connected on a penalty kick, and then ripped a shot from about 30 yards out for HCC’s first goal of the second half.
“I really wasn’t nervous about (the penalty kick), because I’ve been strong with my penalty kicks all year,” Holmes said. “The second goal I didn’t have much time to think about it. I just touched it and shot. A lot of girls on this team have really good shooting techniques and can shoot with no problem.”
Freshman Melissa Hetherington had a goal and an assist to raise her single-season records to 33 goals and 80 points.
Freshman Andrea Thompson scored her fifth goal of the season. Sophomore Polly New scored her sixth goal and sophomore Rebekah Ramstack netted her third of the year. Freshmen Jamie Smith and Chloe Basnett both scored their first career goals. Dodge City was credited with an own goal in the second half.
“This has been two of the best years of my whole life,” Ramstack said. “This team is closer than any team I have ever been on. This game shows we are deeper than just our forwards, but we have people who can score from all over.”
The Lady Dragons out-shot Dodge City 39-4 and 23-1 in shots on goal. The first-half shot total as 24-0 and HCC led 6-0.
Freshmen goalkeepers Eunice Figueroa (11-1) and Emily Soza combined for the Lady Dragons’ fourth-consecutive and 11th shutout of the season. Figueroa didn’t face a shot and Soza had one save.
Hetherington tied a team record with her sixth game-winning goal, scoring the first goal just 6 minutes, 35 seconds into the game from a Joyce assist.
GAME NOTES – Career stat chart updates: Points – 4. Alicia Robinson (88), 5. Pearl Slattery (85), 6. Melissa Hetherington (80), Madison Joyce (78). Goals – 4. Hetherington (33), T5. Joyce and Slattery (29); T7. Robinson (24). Assists: 1. Robinson (40); T3. Slattery (27); 7. Joyce (20). … Single Season stat chart updates: Points – 1. Htherington (80); 3. Slattery (55); T6. Robinson (49); 8. Joyce (48). Goals – 1. Hetherington (33); 6. Slattery (20); T7. Joyce (17). Assists – 1. Robinson (25), T2. Slattery (15); T5. Hetherington and Joyce (14). … This was HCC’s first postseason meeting with Dodge City. … Holmes, Joyce and Robinson are the third, fourth and fifth HCC players to have multi-goal postseason games.