Hutchinson CC Sports Information
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyoming – For only the fourth time in the 17-year history of the Hutchinson Community College women's soccer program, the Blue Dragons were playing at elevations above 2,000 feet.
Using the first half to get used to Rock Springs, Wyoming's elevation of 6,388 feet, the Blue Dragons made the adjustment and owned possession for most of the second half in a 1-0 season-opening victory over Western Wyoming on Friday.
Freshman forward Hadlie Lowe first career goal turned out to be the only goal of the contest, which came in the 51st minute. Freshman goalkeeper Olivia Felix-Cardona also had an impressive Blue Dragon debut with six saves for her first career shutout.
The Blue Dragons (1-0) improved to 13-4 in season openers in program history with its 10th opening-day shutout. This was the Blue Dragons' second 1-0 opening-day victory, the first since defeating Cloud County 1-0 in double overtime to open the 2010 season. This was Hutchinson's first 1-0 win since August 31, 2017 (Rose State) and it's the 13th 1-0 win all-time for Hutchinson.
Tied 0-0 at halftime, the Blue Dragons started to dominate possession early in the second half.
Five minutes into the second half, sophomore Ella-Mae Miller received a cross-field pass and then traveled past midfield. Miller then split two Mustang defenders and hit Lowe in the channel. Lowe then cut to the goal, drew the Western Wyoming keeper to her and rolled a shot into the empty net for a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Dragons out-shot Western Wyoming (0-1), last year's Region IX Tournament runner-up, 16-7.
Felix-Cardona made three huge 1-on-1 saves in the second half to either keep the game tied or maintain the Dragons' one-goal lead. Her final save came with 12:25 left when she sprawled out to make a diving save on a shot ticketed for the lower left corner, deflecting it just wide.
While Hutch dominated second-half possession, Western Wyoming had a final chance with 10 seconds remaining in regulation with a corner kick. The Mustangs weren't able to get a shot off toward the next as the final seconds ran off the clock.
Saturday's scheduled game between Hutchinson and Western Wyoming has been canceled. The Blue Dragons will now be off until September 1 when they travel to Barton Community College for the Jayhawk West opener in Great Bend.