WNC's women's soccer team took third in the league after defeating Sacramento State.
The Lady Wildcats traveled to Sacramento St. University Monday and came away with a resounding 4-2 win that moved them into third place in the NorCal Division of the West Coast Soccer Association.
The Lady Wildcats pounded the Sac. St. goal early and could have been up a couple of goals but lack of clinical finishing kept the game at 0-0. WNC took the lead in the first 12 minutes however on a goal by Maribel Ledezma (Dayton, Nev.) after an unbelievable great pass from Sarah Hernandez (Reno, Nev.) The game was an unsettled affair because of the very rough field but both teams pressed on looking for a little rhythm that never came. Sac. St. struck at the 24-minute mark on a cross and finish that tied the game and that’s how the first half ended 1-1.
The second half started neatly once again for the Lady Wildcats as they took a 2-1 lead on a long-range blast of 40 yards by leading goal scorer Maribel Ledezma (3) and once again took the lead, this time 2-1. The Hornets wasted no time getting a tie goal through a corner kick that inexplicably hit a tuft of grass and bounced sideways past a perfectly placed Wildcat defender. But that’s when the Wildcats took control and pushed for a third goal which they earned via the penalty spot. Sarah Hernandez stepped up and buried her PK and the Wildcats went up 3-2, a lead they wouldn’t give up. Four minutes before the final whistle, the Wildcats scored the final goal as Ledezma played a ball to the back post. Mavil Diaz (Carson City, Nev.) was there and headed the ball in powering the Lady Wildcats to the 4-2 victory.
The Lady Wildcats return home for a game versus UC Davis on Saturday April 8 at 2 p.m.