September 17, 2009

Ybarra records third shutout in Lady Tigers’ 4-0 win

It’s impossible to lose when the other team doesn’t score. That has been the case in three of the last four Cowley College women’s soccer games as sophomore goalkeeper, Katie Ybarra, has recorded three shutouts and allowed only three goals in Cowley’s last four contests.

On Wednesday, Ybarra stopped all six shots she faced as Cowley won at Dodge City by a score of 4-0. Yabarra, who was one of the team’s midfielders as a freshman, is getting more comfortable in her first season as goalie for the Lady Tigers.

“Katie is getting the experience she needs and has done a good job of adjusting to what we needed her to do,” Cowley head coach Dane Straight said. “Our defense has also started to gel and trust each person to do their job.”

Sophomore forward Amber Hernandez gave Ybarra all the support she would need by scoring her 11th goal of the season just four minutes and 26 seconds into the game. Hernandez would add another goal 12 and a half minutes later to put Cowley on top 2-0.

Freshman Sadie Hull added her first goal of the season late in the first half to push the Lady Tigers’ lead to 3-0. Fellow freshman, Jerrika Keirn, netted her first goal of the season in the second half as Cowley improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the Jayhawk Conference.

“It’s very big for Sadie and Jerrika to break that seal and get their first goals,” Straight said. “This should give them a chance to relax and let the game come to them.”

Cowley will now prepare to host defending conference champion Barton County Saturday at 4 p.m. The Lady Cougars have won both of their conference games by a combined score of 28-0.

“They are the defending conference champions and will present a challenge for us,” Straight said. “We will have to play much better than we did against Dodge City.”