Kansas Road Trip a Success for the Plainswomen

Sept. 3, 2019, Sterling, Colo. — In a two game weekend series, the Northeastern Junior College (NJC) soccer team traveled to play Garden City Community College (GCCC) and Hesston College (HC). The first game against the GCCC Broncbusters tested Northeastern as it was a physical game. The second game against the HC Larks, however, was much different as the physicality was not there and the ladies were able to relax and play. 

Against the Broncbusters, the physical play was apparent immediately as numerous fouls were called throughout the game with the first two yellow cards coming before the first goal of the game. Despite both teams playing aggressively, NJC scored first in the 39^th minute when Courtney Dinkel put one pass the keeper with Emali Ortega getting the assist. At halftime, the Plainswomen led 1-0. In the second half, things heated up early when NJC made it a 2-0 game off a Jenna Vidal penalty kick. Two minutes later GCCC brought it back to a one-goal game. Without breaking their cool, the Plainswomen kept playing their game and held off the Broncbusters, and eventually scored again in the 70^th minute when Amber Hurtado scored from the assist of Ortega. Once the dust settled, the Plainswomen walked out of there with the 3-1 victory. 

On the second day against the Larks, NJC had yet another great showing by defeating HC 3-0. Northeastern needed to adjust their game play from the day before, as the Larks were not as aggressive as the Broncbusters. Once the Plainswomen figured out the type of game it was, they started to roll. The first half was scoreless for the teams, but the second half was all NJC. In the 54^th minute, Emali Ortega broke the ice to make it a 1-0 game, and then Rowan Hortsmeier made it a 2-0 game in the 63^rd minute with Fernanda Rios getting the assist. Less than 30 seconds later, Rios scored herself a goal with Hortsmeier getting the assist. Northeastern went on to win the game 3-0. 

The Plainswomen will be at home next on Wednesday Sept. 4 as they host the Western Nebraska Cougars. Kickoff at 3 p.m.