DODGE CITY – Freshman Claire Taylor scored a hat trick to lead the No. 16-ranked Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team to a 6-3 Jayhawk Conference road victory over Dodge City on Wednesday at a blustery Memorial Stadium.
With a strong north wind blowing, Hutchinson was able to score three goals in the first half going with that wind. The second half was a 3-3 draw with the Dragons scoring three against that stiff gale. That was a good thing because Dodge City scored three times in the second half.
Taylor became the third Blue Dragon player this season to have a hat trick, joining Jen Rogers and Aleise Williams. Her second goal proved to be a huge play. After Dodge City pulled within 4-2 in the 55th minute, just 41 seconds later Taylor answered for the Blue Dragons, scoring on a breakaway to give HCC a 5-2 lead with 34:55 to play in the game.
Taylor, who had just one goal in the first three games of the season, was one of four different goal scorers for Hutchinson. Sophomore Siobhon Wilson scored her first goal of the season to give HCC a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Jen Rogers tallied her team-high eighth goal and Parfitt McNair scored her third of the season.
Rogers and freshman Karrie McNutt had the Blue Dragon assists.
Hutchinson (3-1, 2-0 Jayhawk Conference) out-shot Dodge City (3-2-1, 0-1-1) 23-14, putting 12 shots on goal
Freshman goalkeeper Jennifer Currie (3-1) had three saves.
Going with the wind in the first half, HCC dominated possession, outshooting Dodge City 12-5 in the first 90 minutes. The Conquistadors got just one shot on goal in the first half.
Wilson scored the game’s first goal when her shot deflected off Dodge City keeper Elyssia Lucio in the ninth minute for a 1-0 lead. Taylor scored her first goal when she took a perfect McNutt cross and scored in the 35th minute for a 2-0 lead.
Rogers then made an exception play for Hutchinson’s third goal, stealing an errant clear attempt and then driving through the defense and scoring past Luico, who was coming out to cut down the angle. HCC led 3-0 at halftime.
Dodge City didn’t take long to break the shutout. Just a little more than a minute into the second half, Erica Ramos scored unassisted. Seven minute later, McNair took a Rogers cross and scored to make it 4-1 in the 54th minute.
That started a wild two minutes for both teams. Thirty-nine second after McNair’s goal, Dodge City’s Jessica Klemetson scored on a direct free kick. Then 41 seconds after that, Taylor scored on a breakaway to make it 5-2.
Both teams scored in the final five minutes. Ramos scored her second goal of the game to make it 5-3. One minute, 13 seconds later, Taylor finished off the hat trick on a direct free kick from 10 yards out that wasn’t a penalty kick.
The Blue Dragons return home after a three-game road trip over the last 22 days to play host to Coffeyville at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the Salthawk Sports Complex.
GAME NOTES – The Blue Dragons won their 11th consecutive victory over Dodge City. … HCC is 12-1 all-time vs. Dodge City and 11-0 vs. the Conquistadors in league-designated games. … The three goals allowed to Dodge City were the most ever allowed to the Conquistadors. HCC had allowed just three goals in the first 12 games played in the series. … This was just the 13th in program history (175 games) that HCC has allowed three or more goals in a half. … With three points, Jen Rogers had her 14th career multi-point game of her career, which ties Madison Joyce for sixth on the career list.
(HCC Sports Information)