Blue Dragon soccer team downs Johnson County, advances in Region 6 play

By Colin Shields / Online Editor

The Hutchinson Community College women’s soccer team defeated Johnson County Community College 4-3 in the quarterfinal round of the Region 6 Tournament on Sunday at the Salthawk Sports Complex.

Blue Dragons coach Sammy Lane was pleased with the win but still sees where the Blue Dragons can improve.

“I thought defensively we looked very nervous and very shaky. We hadn’t looked that way all year,” Lane said.

The Blue Dragons struck first with two goals from sophomore midfielder Aimee Maher. Maher struck first with a goal with 3 minutes gone and again in the 21st minute after a Johnson County foul gave the Blue Dragons a penalty kick.

The score would stay at 2-0 going into halftime before both offenses would enter a scoring frenzy. 

Johnson County came out hot, scoring a goal in the first 2 minutes of the second half to pull within one goal of the Blue Dragons. However, sophomore midfielder Emma Scholl would bury a goal from the right side on a tight angle to put the Blue Dragons up 3-1 with 23 minutes to play in the match. Sophomore Forward Hadlie Lowe also got in on the scoring action, beating the keeper to score a goal at the 87 minute mark to extend the lead to 4-2.

Lowe credited the Blue Dragons offensive success to the connection the team has built throughout the season.

“The connection between our midfield and forwards contributed to our offensive success today,” Lowe said. “We have a great understanding of how each other plays this year and it has been very beneficial.”

 Johnson County would make one last push, putting a header off a corner kick in the back of the net with 24 seconds left to bring the score to 4-3. The Blue Dragons would run out the final seconds to win the match.

Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Felix Cardona made seven saves and helped keep the game in control of the Blue Dragons, who were outshot 25-16 in the contest.

The Blue Dragons will travel to Wichita to play Butler Community College at 4 p.m. Nov. 3 at Stryker Sports Complex.

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