Kansas City Kansas Community College had seven shots on goal in the second half alone against nationally ranked Cowley College Wednesday. Unfortunately, none found the net.
“You must capitalize on your opportunities; if you do not, you will not win these games,” KCKCC head coach Ruben Rodriguez said after the Blue Devils’ 2-1 loss to the No. 13 ranked and unbeaten Tigers (5-0). “We played well; we just need to be more prepared mentally to play at a higher level.”
The loss evened KCKCC’s record at 2-2-1 overall and 1-1 in the Jayhawk Conference heading into a collision with Johnson County (3-2) in Overland Park next Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m.
Cowley County, meanwhile, took over the Jayhawk lead at 2-0, ahead of runnerup JCCC (1-0) and third place KCKCC and Neosho County, both 1-1.
“Kansas City is a very physical team and relentless in what they do,” Cowley Coach Ruy Voz said. “They marked our midfielders very well but we played really well on the flanks and found a way to win.”
Cowley grabbed a 1-0 lead 27 minutes into the game on Elluan Martins Gomes’ eighth goal of the season. The goal was assisted by Murilo Ramos.
KCKCC pulled even with four minutes left in the half when sophomore Ignacio Sarasol scored off a corner kick from Wyandotte freshman Jorge Fernandez. Cowley’s winning goal came with 21 minutes remaining, Ramos scoring on an assist from Hikaru Tanaka.
The Blue Devils had a 16-14 edge in total shots. KCKCC goalkeeper Bosco Pery was credited with nine saves; Ramiro Diez eight for Cowley.
Sophomore Tara Mattingly (1) went high for a kill attempt as teammates Michelle Dvorak (5) and Gracie Golay (2) looked on in KCKCC’s 3-0 loss to No. 3 ranked Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Brandon Burgette)
by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Playing two of the top three volleyball teams in the nation in a span of three days is an overwhelming task for just about any team – but especially to a team that opened the season with its first 11 matches on the road.
Such was the fate of Kansas City Kansas Community College. Beaten 3-0 at Coffeyville Monday night, No. 3 Johnson County ruined the Blue Devils’ long awaited home opener with a 3-0 win Wednesday night.
The loss left the Blue Devils 6-6 overall with five of the six losses to nationally ranked teams heading into a much needed weeklong layoff. They’ll return to action next Wednesday, entertaining Allen County at 6:30 p.m. and then playing host to the eight-team KCKCC Tournament, a tourney that will be highlighted by a KCKCC-Coffeyville re-match.
Despite a raucous KCKCC home crowd, Johnson County never trailed in posting 25-19 and 25-21 wins in the first two sets. The Blue Devils led briefly in the third set but the Cavaliers pulled away down the stretch after a 14-14 tie.
“We were having an uphill fight the whole time,” KCKCC assistant coach Allyssa Lutgen said. “The first game we had two receive mistakes that helped Johnson County get ahead.”
And back-to-back games against two of the top three teams in the nation did not make the Blue Devils’ task any easier.
“I think we definitely were more fatigued than normal and mentally playing the No. 1 team and then the No. 3 team was certainly a major hurdle,” Lutgen said.
Happy Blue Devils celebrated winning a crucial point. Unfortunately, there were not enough such celebrations as KCKCC dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 3 ranked Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Brandon Burgette)
A valiant effort by Cowley goalkeeper Lotta Sulva wasn’t enough to stop Kayley Pedersen’s game-winning goal with 19.2 seconds left that gave KCKCC a 2-1 win over the Tigers Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
A dramatic goal with 19.2 seconds left has given Kansas City Kansas Community College its first women’s soccer win over a national ranked team and thrust the Blue Devils into the thick of the Jayhawk Conference season.
Kayley Pedersen, a freshman midfielder from Shawnee Mission West, launched the game winner from outside the box that sailed over the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Lotta Dulva for a 2-1 win over No. 20 ranked Cowley College Wednesday night.
The last-minute win boosted the Blue Devils’ record to 4-1 overall and 2-1 in what shapes up as a wild, wild Jayhawk Conference race. Cowley came into the game off a 1-0 win over Butler County, which had handed KCKCC its only loss 3-2 with 5.9 seconds left in overtime. Butler then dealt Johnson County its first conference loss 1-0 Wednesday.
Only Coffeyville is unbeaten at 2-0 but the Red Ravens face Butler, Cowley and JCCC in its their next three contests.
“We’re in the conversation; it’s going to be a meat grnder,” said a happy KCKCC coach Shawn Uhlenhake, who called it the Blue Devils’ biggest win in his four years. “Beating a ranked team, it has to be.”
Riding a four-game winning streak, Cowley (5-2) took a 1-0 lead on a kick by Michayla Seahorn from outside the box with 23 minutes remaining in the first half and it took a pass from freshman Melissa Siegel to sophomore speedster Kayla Deaver for the KCKCC goal that tied it at 32:44 of the second half.
With time running down, Siegel alertly picked up a ball that had gone out of play and put it back in play with 30 seconds left before Pedersen’s high arcing shot settled in the net. Uhlenhake called it the Blue Devils’ biggest win in his four years.
“Beating a ranked team, that’s it,” he said.
The Blue Devils also got a standout performance by freshman goalkeeper Jaidyn Takaishi, who had 10 saves on 13 Cowley shots. KCKCC countered with 10 shots including five saved by the Tigers’ Dulva.
“We beat a good team today, no doubt about that,” Uhlenhake said. “They’re fast and aggressive. We got lucky to come away trailing just 1-0 in the first half but we came out the second half aggressive and started to believe we could win. Our centerbacks, Katrina Sargent and Sydney Guerra, did a fantastic job on Cowley’s No. 23 (Natalia Lima). Working in tandem they didn’t give her much space at all.”
The Blue Devils step out of conference play Saturday when they play Metropolitan Community College at Blue River at 11:30 a.m. before resuming conference action at Johnson County next Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Freshman Melissa Siegel went between three Cowley College defenders to get a shot in KCKCC’s last-minute 2-1 win Wednesday. Siegel had an assist to Kaya Deaver for KCKCC’s first goal. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins) Jubilant Lady Blue Devils whooped it up after the last minute 2-1 win over Cowley College Wednesday night. The win over the No. 20 ranked Tigers was KCKCC’s first over a ranked team. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
