By Ron Smith
September 12, 2021
 
(LA GRANDE, Ore.) In the first game of road trip to Oregon, #17 Westmont Women's Soccer (3-0-1) notched a 3-2 overtime victory on Saturday against Northwest (Wash.) (1-4-1). The Warriors had to come from behind twice in order to secure the win.
 
In just the seventh minute of the game, Kayla Soderstrom put the Eagles up 1-0 when she redirected a pass from Maya Lewis on the right side.
 
"The first 20 minutes, we did not get enough pressure high enough up the field to slow down some of the things that Northwest is best at," said Westmont head coach Jenny Jaggard. "They are really big and were dumping balls into our box. The first 20 minutes, the energy was a little bit sluggish with the midfielders getting back. It cost us early in the game.
 
"After we were scored on, my team took things upon themselves and decided we were not losing today. The way they started to fight back was in the spirit that we have been trying to cultivate in this program every year. We talk about being Warriors and this was a battle. They rose to the charge.
 
"In training, our focus was on pattern playing with our forwards up front and on getting better at combining and holding the ball deeper in the field. Especially the second half, they did a fantastic job of combining. There were some series were we probably strung together 15 passes and then got a quality opportunity on goal. It was amazing to see the individual improvement – it takes each individual receiving the ball properly and protecting it properly under pressure to make this work. Each of them managed to do that and then successfully connect a pass. That requires the person on the ball making good decisions as well as the people off the ball getting open in good shape."
 
The Warriors evened the game at one goal apiece in the 22nd minute.
 
"Taylie Scott sent a long ball from the back over the top of Northwest's defense to Amarys Machado who made a deep run," described Jaggard. "Amarys received the ball and touched it to the end line before placing a pass at an angle back towards the penalty kick spot. Reese Davidson, who was running through the box, finished it with one touch."
 
Just one minute later, the Eagles reclaimed the lead with a goal by Elizabeth Moretti. Olivia Morris sent a free kick into the box from near the left touch line. The ball found the feet of Moretti who redirected it into the net. As a result, Northwest held a 2-1 lead at halftime, having outshot the Warriors 6-5.
 
The second half, however, played out differently with the Warriors taking control and outshooting the Eagles 10-3. Westmont scored its second equalizer in the 61st minute on a beautiful combination play.
 
"Teagan Matye played a ball wide to Shayna Stock who was making a run deep down the left flank," reported Jaggard. "Shayna touched it and played a pass into the top of the box to Grace Duckens who dummied the ball between her legs so that the ball slipped through the middle to Amarys. Amarys finished it with one touch into the upper left corner. Getting the equalizer was obviously very important. This was Amarys' first collegiate goal, so that was super exciting."
 
"The last five minutes of regular time, we absolutely peppered them," noted Jaggard. "The ball went off the post and there were some fantastic opportunities where I was practically on the field celebrating half a dozen times. Their goalkeeper made a couple of really good saves that kept them in it.
 
"At the end of regulation, I told the team, that this was their moment to shine. They just needed to believe it, commit to getting their runs forward, and commit to making one moment count. What do you know? They did it early.
 
"Duckens got the ball on top of the box. She dribbled past the defenders, got to the end line and sent a ball across that the goalkeeper touched. Unfortunately, we made our runs too early so the ball went behind us. The ball bounces back out just beyond the box.
 
"Shayna touched the ball and sent it right back to Duckens in the exact same spot. In 10 seconds time, Duckens got the exact same play twice. She goes at it again, on the exact same angle, sends almost the exact same ball across, but just a little bit farther out so that the keeper can't reach it. Katie DeMillo runs at the back post and finishes it. It was a really exciting goal.
 
"I felt like all of our goals were quality goals that we earned by being better in the final third than the other team. Our energy level in the game was phenomenal."
 
The Warriors remain in La Grande today in order to take on #13 Eastern Oregon (2-1) on Monday at 4:00 p.m.