Late goal lifts Cowgirls past TCU

Richard Anderson photo
Several Cowgirls mug teammate Tamika Wilson (9) after Wilson's first goal of the season lifted Wyoming to a 1-0 win over TCU Friday at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex. Pictured at bottom, left, junior Kerstyn Etheridge battles a TCU player for the ball.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

Tamika Wilson will go down as one of the top goal scorers all time for the Wyoming Cowgirls, and among the best in the Mountain West Conference.

But her senior season individually has been one to forget -- at least to this point. A knee injury has hobbled her this season and left her scoreless -- until Friday, that is.

Wilson’s late goal -- her first of the season -- lifted the Cowgirls to a tough but impressive 1-0 win over 30th-ranked TCU Friday at the Louis S. Madrid Sports Complex.

After 19 goals in her first three seasons, last year’s MWC Offensive Player of the Year, was looking for bigger and better things for her final season with the Cowgirls. The injury, however, put things in a different perspective.

Friday’s game-winning goal at least helped steer her thoughts in the right direction.

“I was so happy. I needed that kind of momentum because for being this far into the season, just starting the conference; it’s building momentum,” Wilson said.

The Cowgirls (8-5-1, 2-0 in MWC) are used to low scoring games this season -- Friday’s 1-0 win was their seventh shutout of the season and it was the 10th time in 14 games that Wyoming has scored one goal or less.

TCU, however, isn’t quite used to the low scoring affairs. The Lady Frogs went into the game scoring 33 goals in 11 games.
But the Wyoming defense once again rose to the challenge. It was the Cowgirls third straight 1-0 victory, including two in MWC play.

“We played together as a unit, had good communication and just made sure all of our marks are covered,” Wyoming senior goalkeeper Jamie Scarcliff said.

Wyoming coach Danny Sanchez said his back four players did a good job of limiting TCU’s scoring opportunities.

“You can see how dangerous they are,” Sanchez said. “In the second half, we stepped up our play a little bit. We did a good job of winning the first ball. We really did a good job of playing with energy, like we would expect, playing at home.”

Scoreless heading into the 77th-minute, Wilson broke the 0-0 tie with an assist from sophomore Jerrica DiVincenzoa on a shot past the TCU keeper Kelsey Walters in the left corner of the net.

“When we subbed Tamika back in, I said it would be a good time for her to get her first goal,” Sanchez said. “It wasn’t the prettiest goal you will ever see, but it still counts the same nevertheless.”

Wilson said she didn’t have a very good touch on the ball, but was able to get off a shot that the TCU keeper would have trouble picking up.

“The defender was kind of in the way of the goalie, she couldn’t see it, so you know it was a bad touch and a slow reaction,” Wilson said. “But it went in and that’s all I care about.”

The Cowgirls then had about 12 minutes left to hold on to the victory, but did so albeit with a couple of nervous moments in the final minutes.

“It is actually kind of nerve-wracking, but kind of exciting,” said Scarcliff, who is now giving up 0.78 goals a game this season. “You are nervous, because you’re like, ‘Oh God, what is going to happen?’ But the adrenaline is going with you and it helps you stay focused and stay in the game.”

Sanchez said that when it goes down to the wire like that, you don’t want to be too defensive, but you want to be smart about it. He said the Cowgirls played smart.

“We had a couple of half chances going the other way, and you want to respect the danger of going forward, but really, what you want are numbers behind the ball, and if they are going to score, make them go through everybody,” he said.

While it is obvious that it was a big home win against a strong team, Sanchez said he’d argue that every win is a big win for his team.

“Obviously, this is a team (TCU) that is a NCAA caliber team, that has had some very good results,” he said. “For us to come out today, actually with the weather, with a decent crowd, it’s a huge win. Now, as I told the team, how do we respond against an equally as good New Mexico team on Sunday? How do we bounce back? That is a test for a good team and that is what I am anxious to see.”

Sanchez added that the Cowgirls are playing with good spirit and working hard and communicating. He said that is what they have to do.

“Those are the things that are non-negotiable for us,” Sanchez said. “We have to have those characteristics if we are going to be successful.”

Wyoming will look to keep the momentum Sunday at noon against New Mexico.