by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s young women’s soccer team performed so well in their first-ever home playoff game they’re going to get to do it again.
A 3-1 winner over defending Region VI champion Barton County in opening regional play Saturday, the Blue Devils will be back home again Thursday thanks to No. 8 seeded Johnson County’s stunning 2-1 upset of No. 1 seeded Cloud County. No kickoff time has been set but it is expected to be mid to later afternoon.
Freshman Melissa Siegel’s penalty kick with 18:58 left in the second half broke a 1-1 deadlock and propelled the Blue Devils to their 13th win of the season against just three losses.
The penalty kick came when Corrine Hughes was knocked down just inside the box, the fifth time she had been knocked down during the furiously fought battle but the first time a foul was called.
“I was really nervous,” said Siegel of her penalty shot, a rocket just inside the right goal post that gave Barton County goalkeeper Itzel Diaz no chance. “With so little time left, so many things can happen. I knew all along I was going to kick it to the right side.”
“She’s a gamer; she’s not afraid of taking the big shot,” praised KCKCC coach Shawn Uhlenhake. It was Siegel’s third penalty kick of the season, all successful. The first two came at Butler County.
The Blue Devils then wrapped up the win 3½ minutes later when freshman Maddy Broeker beat Barton’s goalkeeper to a ball at the top of the box for the goal that opened the 3-1 lead. Broeker, who had just returned to the game, had to be helped from the field with a leg bruise after the collision with Diaz.
“I’m OK; the goal is what counted,” Broeker said.
KCKCC jumped in front with just 2:53 gone in the first half when Hughes converted a corner kick from freshman Kayley Pedersen. The lead stood up until the 33:26 mark of the first half when the Cougars’ Dominica Pena punched in the tying goal.
It would be the Cougars only goal thanks to a standout defensive effort by goalkeeper Jaidyn Takaishi, who had six saves on 15 Barton shots, and the back line of sophomores Sydney Guerra, Karleigh Enyart and Alex Schemmel and freshman Paige Liston.
“Our back line defense really held us together, especially since our midfield was not connecting with our forwards very often,” Uhlenhake said. The Blue Devils got off 14 shots including 10 on goals, seven of which were turned away by Diaz.
Thursday’s clash with Johnson County (12-6-1) will be the third meeting between the two teams, KCKCC winning 3-2 at JCCC and 2-0 at home.
“It’s really tough to beat a team three times,” Uhlenhake said. “We certainly know everything there is to know about each other.”
