Broncos come back to rattle Medicine Hat

Olds College Sports Information
September 8, 2018

OLDS, Alta. - The Olds College Broncos women's soccer team showed it's not how you start the game that's important, it's how you finish.

A pair of second-half goals from Felicia Rodney (Calgary, Alta.), including the winning marker in the 88th minute, led the Broncos to a 2-1 victory over the Medicine Hat College Rattlers in their season opener at Richardson Pioneer Field.

Veteran Bronco Meg Rogers (Calgary, Alta.) was happy with the team's communication on the field.

"I think today, what we did the best was mainly passing around and playing with each other, and making the game easier for each other," she said.

Auslin McDaniel-Perrin (La Grange, Oregon) turned aside five shots in the victory for the Broncos (1-0-0), while Kassidy Suberlak made six saves for the Rattlers (0-1-0).

The game was evenly matched from the start, with a majority of the play controlled in the middle of the field.

Medicine Hat opened the scoring in the 20th minute, as an Aleena Matthews free kick from 25 yards out handcuffed McDaniel-Perrin before bouncing into the net.

Olds had its fair share of opportunities, but they couldn't get anything past Suberlak as the Rattlers took the one-goal advantage into halftime.

The Broncos levelled the score in the 64th minute, as Rodney took a pass from Kate Campbell (Calgary, Alta.), then broke through the middle to beat Suberlak to make the game 1-1, setting the stage for Rodney to take a through-ball from Paige Whitehead (Liverpool, UK) late in the half to seal the victory.

Medicine Hat had a golden opportunity to grab a point as the ball bounced around the six-yard box in the 90th minute, but a clearance from Kathleen Andres (Calgary, Alta.) nullified the danger.

Rogers was impressed with how the young Broncos lineup has come together to this point in the season.

"It's really exciting to see that we have this many rookies and that they've pulled out this much ability," she said. "I'm glad we've been able to work together really well and do what we've been able to do."

Campbell was named The Pit Broncos Player of the Game, while Matthews took home the honours for the Rattlers.

Olds will go for the weekend sweep at home tomorrow as they battle the Lethbridge College Kodiaks at 2 p.m., while Medicine Hat will head to Calgary to face the SAIT Trojans at noon.

For Rogers, it's simply a matter of staying the course.

"I think we just need to keep our minds cool and keep doing what we've been doing," she said.