By Ron Smith
April 15, 2021
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) The 2020-21 Westmont Women's Soccer season came to an end on Thorrington Field today. The Warriors, who finish the season 7-5, lost their NAIA Opening Round semifinal game to Oregon Tech (12-1).
 
The Hustlin' Owls advance to take on Eastern Oregon on Saturday in the Opening Round championship game. The Mountaineers won Thursday's first semifinal game with a 2-1 victory over La Sierra.
 
"We had expectations for ourselves that we were going to go deeper," expressed head coach Jenny Jaggard after the game. "I think we very well could have, but there are no 'could haves' in the playoffs. You either make it happen or you don't. There is a little bit of luck and a lot of getting after it and making it happen. Today, it didn't work for us."
 
Oregon Tech scored their first goal in the 26th minute. Mehana Ortiz retrieved a ball near the right touchline and then fired from 45 yards out. Westmont's goalkeeper Gabi Haw back-peddled from the top of the 18, then leapt and stretched in an attempt to prevent the ball's advance. The ball glanced off her fingertips and continued toward the goal, landing two feet in front of the goal before bounding into the left side of the net.
 
"I thought that the energy that we brought in the beginning of the game wasn't what we were hoping for," acknowledged Jaggard. "I felt like there was a lot of playing from fear, not really trusting that we could play the Westmont way. Part of the playoff experience is learning to handle that pressure.
 
"I was proud of them in the second half. They rose and pushed and we had some really good opportunities. Today just didn't go our way. Sometime you win a game and you are not sure how. Other games you lose and scratch your head thinking there were dozens of ways we could have won that and why didn't any of them work?"
 
Westmont had a near miss in the 55th minute when Kendall Ollenburger hit the crossbar from 25 yards out. Isabelle Berthoud retrieved the ball off the rebound and fired from four yards out, but the shot could not get past Oregon Tech goalkeeper Alyx Burkhartzymeyer who has yet to allow a goal this season.
 
In the 80th minute, Karly Kingsley sent a ball into the box from the right touchline. The ball connected with the head of Grace Hotaling whose shot went just over the crossbar.
 
The Hustlin' Owls put the game out of reach in the 85th minute on a breakaway. Kiah Wetzell received a pass on the left touchline near the midfield line. Wetzell, dribbled unabated, got past Haw, then kicked the ball into an empty net.
 
"Oregon Tech scouted us well and did the things they can do well and it ended up working for them," said Jaggard. "It is just painful."
 
The Owls have not allowed a goal in any of their last eight games.
 
Reflecting on the season, Jaggard shared, "It has been a wild ride with COVID – a very emotional, up-and-down year. I am proud of my team for sticking it out and continuing to play and work hard. I have seen a lot of development in them this year, especially considering how few games we have had leading up to playoffs. It's an unusual soccer year.
 
"We have a great foundation for building for the fall. Our seniors will be tremendously missed, but we have a good core. They know what we are all about and they work hard. Hopefully, we will get after it and do something a little more exciting this fall."