Leticia Modesto scored in the second overtime to help the Western Nebraska Community College women's soccer team to a 2-1 double overtime win over Otero Junior College Friday afternoon at Lander Soccer Complex.
It was the home opener for the WNCC soccer teams and Friday's weather wasn't the best as the team's battled brisk winds that hampered play.
In the end, the Cougar women moved to 2-0-1 with the Region IX conference win.
Modesto, a freshman from Brazil, said the team played well especially the defense in a very competitive contest.
"We played really well defensively," Modesto said. "We fought for every ball. Thanks to God, we were able to work and have good control of the ball. And, thanks to God, we came away with the win. It was really a tough game. The other girls were really strong, too. They were running a lot so thanks to God our defense did a really good job in this game.
The offense scored twice in the match, but it was the defense that played lights out. The Cougars allowed just one goal in the match and that was a second half penalty kick halfway through the second half.
Modesto said their defense is strong.
"They [the defense] played really well," she said. "They got every ball. Defensively we are really strong. That is one of our strong areas and thanks to the girls on defense, we were able to hold on to the game and finish with a goal."
With the gusty winds that blew out of the west, it made play pretty hectic. WNCC started the match by going with the win kicking into the South goal and WNCC peppered the net with 11 shots in the first half. With the wind, WNCC almost nailed a shot as a corner kick just about curved into the net before the Otero goalkeeper saved the ball.
WNCC finally broke the scoreless deadlock as Destiny Mueller fed Kianna Thompson with a perfect pass and the freshman from Denver planted it into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. That is the way it stayed going into halftime.
The second half saw both teams kept battling. Otero finally got on the scoreboard as Adriana Caballero scored off a penalty kick with 23:02 left in the match.
Both teams had shots to take the lead in regulation, but neither could get a shot in net.
The first overtime saw Otero have two great chances for a goal, but misfired high and wide. Modesto also had a prime shot late in the first overtime but the Otero goalkeeper came up with a big save.
The second overtime saw WNCC going against the win and they dominated the short second overtime. The Cougars missed on one shot, but then with 7:31 left in the game, Andrea Jimenez off a corner kick, crossed the ball to Modesto who knew what to do and her shot went into the net for the game-winner.
"The wind was really strong and every time we kicked the ball it took it away," Modesto said. "But, thanks to Andrea, she took a corner kick and she gave the ball to me. I remember the girls saying go to the second post and that was going through my mind. So, I was wondering if the ball was going to pass the defender and it passed and I was able to score the goal."
WNCC had 18 shots in the game while Otero managed about 11 shots.
WNCC goalkeeper Ana Von Ruden had a huge game in net. The sophomore from Oregon finished with 10 saves including many clutch saves in critical times.
WNCC was scheduled to host Trinidad State Junior College on Saturday, but Trinidad had to postpone that game because of COVID concerns. WNCC will be back in action next week when they hit the road twice to face Laramie County Community College on Wednesday and then Northeastern Junior College on Saturday. WNCC will return home April 23 and 24 for home games, facing Central Wyoming on Friday and Western Wyoming on Saturday.