Cowgirls Show Steady Growth in First Season
For the Connors State women's soccer team, the injuries started as the team started to hit its stride, with the Cowgirls playing the last eight games of the season with less than three substitutes on the bench, forcing players to play 90 minutes every match. Despite the depleted roster, the team played some of its best soccer of the year, with Coach Adam Skolnick praising their development and ability to connect passes later in the season.
"The task that these young women had this season was always going to be tough. We are in a tough region and as a first year program we went into the season wanting to be competitive, but not quite sure what was coming our way," Skolnick said. "Having as many players go down with injuries that we did made the task even harder. The perseverance that this group showed this season is something special that we can continue to build on."
The growth culminated in the team's first win in program history, a 5-0 result over UA-Cossatot, and one of the most entertaining games in the region this year, a 3-2 loss to NEO that saw Connors jump out to a 2-0 lead before the lack of substitutes and a rowdy crowd powered NEO to 3 late goals to take the win.
Despite the disappointing results throughout the season, there are several bright spots that the team will be able to build around. Midfielder Taylor Moore had a fantastic freshman campaign, scoring six goals and adding two assists. For her efforts, Moore twice was recognized as Region 2 Player of the Week.
Defensively, the Cowgirls featured a solid partnership between Maika Robert and Sahra Khajavi. The pair started all but two games together and that chemistry will continue to grow through the spring season and into the 2024 season.
In goal, freshman Kaylee Ballinger was incredibly busy all season long, making an incredible 175 saves, the most in Region 2 and third-most in NJCAA Division 1. The hard work was rewarded in the 5-0 win over Cossatot, with Ballinger earning her first collegiate shut out.
When asked about the season, Coach Skolnick was proud of the job the women did despite all the adversity the team faced.
"Even though results didn't go our way, the ladies have a lot to be proud of. Getting the first win in program history in the first season is not easy, but the group worked hard to get there. Also having players earn recognition from other coaches, shown by multiple Regional Player of the Week awards, should show the group that we have gained the respect of our peers. This group has laid down a great foundation for the future."