By Timothy Hubert
The Casper College women’s soccer team finished its season after a playoff loss to Laramie County Community College at Murane Field on Saturday, Oct. 26.
The lady T-Birds concluded their regular season flying high on a seven game win streak and won eight of their last nine. They finished the regular season with a record of 10-2-3 and a conference-best record of 8-0-1 entering their playoff opener at home against Laramie County Community College.
The stakes were high for this team going into the playoffs, specifically for sophomores Macy Sickler, the school’s all-time scoring leader, and Emmy Finlinson, Sophomore Goalie and team leader. Both felt as if the team had unfinished business after losing to Otero Community College in last year’s regional tournament. Finlinson felt that, being a sophomore, last year prepared her and the other sophomores for this season. “We wanted it last year, and we were cut short in our season,” she said. Another reason this team was striving for success in the playoffs was so the sophomores have better chances to be seen by scouts at a national level. Winning the Region IX Tournament guarantees a national tournament berth.
In preparations for their playoff matchup against LCCC, Emmy discussed how scoring first and early would have a big impact on the outcome of the game. Casper jumped out of the gate and did exactly that with a goal in the third minute of the game by Freshman Taylor Miller, assisted by Sophomore Michelle Cave. However, this fast start would be all for naught as LCCC would respond with a game tying goal just eight minutes later. The game would then be followed by 75 minutes of defensive battles, as both teams were held scoreless over that time. The crushing blow came in the 86th minute when LCCC took the lead 2-1. This would end up being the final score, ending the lady T-Birds season early yet again.
Although this is not the ending to the season players, coaches, and fans were expecting and hoping for, many positive accomplishments were achieved and relationships were made. Sickler knows the teammates she has played with will be “friends for life”. These bonds will not only be recognized on the soccer field but in all facets of life.
One statistical achievement the lady T-Birds accomplished was helping Head Coach, Ammon Bennett, get his 400th career win. Coach Bennett has been very successful in his time with Casper, leading them to a combined record of 43-17-12. The team helped him reach this historic milestone in a game this fall.
Macy Sickler, the team’s leading scorer this season, also became the Casper College Women’s Soccer all-time leading scorer this season. Her offensive ability and shot creating skills led to a lot of personal and team success. She leads this program with 15 goals scored over the last two seasons.
The season also had its share of record setting. In its first weekend of regional play, Casper hosted the struggling Trinidad State College. Casper came out firing, scoring twice in the first 7 minutes, one by Casper’s Macy Sicker. That would only be the beginning of the scoring. They went on a scoring rampage leading to a final score of 14-0. This game was described by players and coaches as expected, yet a large confidence boost for many of the players as well as momentum leading into the remainder of regional play.
Casper will say goodbye to their sophomores this year, and remember all the memories and accomplishments they made along the way, while they look forward to next season. They hope to build on their success this season, and take it to the next level in doing so. They will have a large returning class with 15 potential returning sophomores. Overall, this marks the end of an era in the history of Casper College women’s soccer, and the beginning of a new one.