Rivas helps lift Lady Tigers to 4-2 win over 11th-ranked Hutchinson

Playing for a chance at third place in the Jayhawk Conference, the No. 17-ranked Cowley College women's soccer team came out with a vengeance while playing against No. 11-ranked Hutchinson Community College Monday afternoon at a windy Mark A. Phillips Athletic Complex. The Lady Tigers got a pair of first half goals from sophomore Lucia Rivas and held on for a 4-2 win over the Blue Dragons.

Cowley finishes the regular season with a record of 9-3-4 in the Jayhawk Conference, one-point in front of Hutchinson (9-3-3) for third place and behind only conference champion Barton and runner-up Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Rivas scored the first of her two goals only 50 seconds into Monday's contest.

"That is what we always dream about is scoring in the first minute of the game," Cowley head coach Roberto dos Santos said.

After flirting with tying the game on a couple of opportunities, Hutchinson finally broke through when Kaitlyn Edwards scored to tie the game at 1-1 with 27:09 left in the opening half.

Marin Peoples made the start in goal for Cowley, but was replaced by Kanon Dehama following the goal by Edwards.

Cowley responded with Rivas scoring her second goal of the game just over four minutes later. Rivas now leads the Lady Tigers with seven goals scored on the season.

"Lucia is a battler. I am so happy for her to get the two goals," dos Santos said.

Hina Susuki would tack on a third goal in the opening half for the Lady Tigers as she scored her fifth goal of the season with 13:40 remaining.

However, It took Hutchinson just 18 seconds into the second half to cut Cowley's lead to 3-2 on a goal by Jayda Wyatt.

Clinging to the one-goal advantage, Sara Espinosa would help push Cowley's lead back to two goals when she scored off a well-executed corner kick by Evelyn Borges with 38:05 left to play. The goal was also Espinosa's fifth of the season.

Cowley swept the season series against Hutchinson and will now host the First Round of the Plains District Tournament this weekend in Arkansas City. The Lady Tigers will host Dodge City (4-8-5) Sunday at 2 p.m.

"We are happy with the win and are glad to move up in the standings," dos Santos said. "The key is for us to recover, be healthy and go into the playoffs with a desire to win."

Photo Credit: Aigiza Nasyrova