Hutchinson CC Sports Information
ARKANSAS CITY – After a wild first half and a scoreless second half, the Hutchinson Community College women's soccer team battled to a 2-2 KJCCC draw on the road at No. 6 Cowley College on Saturday.
The Blue Dragons are now 6-2-2 overall and 3-2-2 (11 points) in the Jayhawk Conference. The Blue Dragons have a busy week ahead with a home battle Wednesday against Coffeyville, the resumption of their suspended game against Dodge City on Friday and then a road trip to Dodge City next Sunday. First-place Cowley is now 6-0-3 overall and 6-0-2 (20 points) in the conference.
Anastasia Pokrandt and Isabela Puccinelli scored goals for the Blue Dragons on Saturday. Isabella Van Fleet had the only assist. Goalkeeper Evie Carvell (4-2-2) had five saves in the game.
Sara Arsee and Sara Cortez were the Cowley goal scorers. Tiger goalkeeper Julia Suelly had two saves.
The Blue Dragons were out-shot 16-8 by the Tigers, who had seven corner kicks to none for the Blue Dragons.
Every time Cowley scored in the first half the Blue Dragons produced an answer.
The Tigers scored first just 7:51 into the match when Cortez scored. The Dragons knotted the game in the 25th minute when Pokrandt hammered a high-arching free kick from about 48 yards out toward goal. The ball bounced about 5 feet in front of the goal and bounced over Suelly to tie the game at 1-1 with 20:46 to play in the half. The goal was Pokrandt's first of the season and third-career marker.
A little more than 2 1/2 minutes later, Arsee scored unassisted to give Cowley a 2-1 lead.
Then when less than a minute to play in the first half. Van Fleet played a through-ball up the middle that Puccinelli got two and split three Cowley defenders. Going in one-on-one with the Cowley keeper, Puccinelli outmaneuvered her and scored into an open net with 24 seconds remaining in the half to tie the game at 2-2.
Going against a strong south wind in the second half, the Dragons weren't able to produce much offense, getting out-shot 10-2 in the final 45 minutes. The Dragons didn't get a shot on goal in the second half.
Carvell had to make four saves in the second half to help preserve Hutchinson's second draw of the season.
The Blue Dragons are now 14-7-4 all-time against Cowley, going winless (0-4-3) in their last seven matches against the Tigers.