Cowley volleyball home opener tonight

The Cowley College volleyball team rolled to an easy win Wednesday, and will have its first home game of the season today at 6:30 p.m. 
Below is the story, and below that look for Cowley soccer updates

   Top-ranked Lady Tigers open region play with win over Hesston
By RAMA PEROO
Benefitting from taking part in the challenging Johnson County Tournament last weekend, the No. 1-ranked Cowley College volleyball team made easy work of its first true road contest as they won at Hesston College Wednesday, 25-13, 25-11, 25-10.





The victory was the Lady Tigers’ third in a row and improved Cowley’s record to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in Region VI competition. Hesston is now 0-5 overall and 0-1 in the region.
“This was an important win for us with it being a region match,” Cowley head coach Jenifer Bahner said. “No matter who the opponent is on the other side of the net, it is important we improve each game.”
Sophomore Lindsey Chandler led the Lady Tigers with nine kills, while Meghan Cahill and Emily Barto added seven kills apiece. Barto, a freshman from Frontenac, also served as the team’s setter during the last game as Molley Scanlon was held out of the match due to illness.
“I was proud Emily was able to step in there and take on a new position,” Bahner said.
With Scanlon out, sophomore Roslandy Acosta did a nice job serving as the team’s setter during the first two games of the match.  Sophomore defensive specialist Kaitlin Stearns also performed well in serve-receive and defensive situations.
Cowley will play its first home match tonight when they host Northern Oklahoma College-Enid at 6:30 p.m. NOC defeated Hesston 25-20, 25-19, 25-16 on Monday. The Lady Tigers finished 10-0 at home during the 2009 season and have won 16 home matches in a row dating back to the 2008 season.
“We are excited about the home opener and hope to get great support from the students and members of the community,” Bahner said.


        Men’s soccer loses high scoring game at MCC-Blue River

In a game that featured three ties and three lead changes, the Cowley College men’s soccer team lost a wild 5-4 contest at MCC-Blue River Tuesday in Kansas City, MO.
Due to some mistakes and miscommunication, both teams scored in the game’s first minute of play. Steven Long got MCC-Blue River on the board first as he scored just 39 seconds into the game. However, Cowley quickly answered with a goal from sophomore Lucas Coelho off a free kick just 19 seconds later, tying the score at 1-1.
Coelho’s second goal of the game, and third of the season, put Cowley on top 2-1 with 19:18 left in the first half.
“Lucas has shown a lot of maturation and has already shown good leadership,” Cowley head coach Roberto Dos Santos said.
The Tigers lost defender Antonio Ayres to a knee injury midway through the first half. It is unknown how serious the injury may be. Despite the injury, the Tigers looked poised to take the 2-1 lead into the half before MCC-Blue River’s Josh Crooks scored two goals in a little over a minute as the Trailblazers took a 3-2 lead into the halftime intermission.
Cowley regrouped to tie the game at 3-3 on Nathan Modesto’s goal five and a half minutes into the second half.
With the teams locked in a tie, Daniel Perez gave the Trailblazers the lead as he sent a shot past Tiger goalkeeper Ian Mutio with 29:34 remaining. Perez’s second goal of the game would give MCC-Blue River a 5-3 lead with 21:18 left.
Freshman Enan Favela’s first career goal with 2:47 left cut Cowley’s deficit to 5-4, but the Tigers were not able to complete the comeback.
Cowley out-shot the Trailblazers 20-11 and had more shots on goal (10-8) in the defeat.
“There was a lot of miscommunication on both sides, but they were able to take advantage of the opportunities more than we did,” Dos Santos said.
Cowley will return to action Saturday when they host Independence in the conference/region opener at 3 p.m. After finishing last season with a record of 0-17, the Pirates have opened the season with a pair of one-goal defeats.
“They have improved since last season, I do not expect it to be an easy match,” Dos Santos said. “We are going to have to be prepared and can’t afford to have mental lapses.”


   Lady Tiger soccer tripped up in first road contest

Coming off an 8-0 season-opening win over Ranger College on Saturday, the Cowley College women’s soccer team ran into a much tougher opponent in MCC-Blue River Tuesday in Kansas City, MO.
It took the Lady Trailblazers just 44 seconds to grab a lead that they would not relinquish as they went on to a 4-2 win.
Cowley head coach Dane Straight felt his team did not come into the game with the correct mindset.
“It was too easy for us on Saturday, we came out with the mentality that it would be another 8-0 game,” Straight said.
Lady Trailblazer Courtney Codilla scored both first half goals as MCC-Blue River led 2-0 at the end of the half. Codilla would then assist on Taylor Eason’s goal, putting the Lady Trailblazers on top 3-0, less than nine minutes into the second half.
Cowley freshman Aline Tomiosso, who scored four goals on Saturday, got Cowley on the board with 30:57 left to play. On the play, Maricarmen Visoso headed a throw in across to Carol Rodrigues, who then passed across to Tomiosso for a shot from inside the box.
A little over two minutes later, Tamiosso sent a crossing pass to Rodrigues, who sent a shot under the diving goalkeeper to cut the Trailblazers’ lead to 3-2 with 28:33 remaining.
With the players pushed up in an attempt to tie the game, MCC-Blue River’s Shelby Beeman got behind the Lady Tiger defense for a game clinching goal with 2:28 left to play.
Both Emily Tanner and Erika Carpenter saw time in goal for the Lady Tigers and each made four saves, while allowing two goals.
The loss drops Cowley’s record to 1-1 on the season.
“I hope this is a early season wake up call for us,” Straight said.
Cowley will now turn its attention to Saturday’s conference opener against Independence. Saturday’s game will take place at 1 p.m. in Arkansas City. The Lady Pirates are 0-2 on the season and are coming off a 16-0 loss to No. 13-ranked Hutchinson.
“We need to come out focused and ready to go,” Straight said. “We need to have a good result and do what we need to in order to improve ourselves for the games ahead of us.”