After they were shut out in their first game of the Lower Island Women’s Soccer League season, Cowichan United broke out of their scoring slump in a big way in their home opener last Sunday afternoon.
Playing on the Sherman Road turf for the first time this year, Cowichan thumped Peninsula FC 4-0.
Without any subs on hand, Peninsula sat back on defence for most of the match, but Cowichan was able to break through frequently. Alyssa Klotz had the first clear chance in the 13th minute, breaking in on the Peninsula goal after retrieving a slip pass. Although she was denied, Klotz’s hard work paid off a minute later when she fed a pass to Madison Thomas, who tapped home the eventual game-winner.
Cowichan nearly doubled their lead in the 25th minute when Sam Walker headed the ball off the post on a corner kick. Another corner resulted in a volley by Katerina Cook that just grazed the crossbar.
“Alyssa Klotz worked really hard and created so many chances early that the game should have been decided by halftime,” Cowichan coach Adam Paulson commented.
Cowichan peppered the Peninsula net with shots throughout the second half, but it wasn’t until the 82nd minute that they got some insurance when Nicola Mawson scored on a feed from Seleana Jack.
Able to loosen up after adding the second goal, Cowichan quickly popped in two more, the first by Jada Hill, who was sent in on a breakaway by Rachel Price, and the second by Cook from Mawson.
“I told the team after the game that we have to be more clinical in front of net,” Paulson said. “We aren’t going to get 30 chances every week, so we need to capitalize on the ones we get. There was a lot to like about the performance, especially in the second half when we cleaned up the misplaced passes that had plagued us a bit in the first half. I was also happy that we didn’t let the frustration of all the missed chances get us down, and we kept pressing until the goals came.”
Cowichan will look to build on that win this coming Sunday when they visit Lakehill FC at Braefoot Park.
The O30 Cowichan Cougars also won 4-0 on Sunday, beating Castaways FC at Evans Park for their second win in as many games this season.
Jenna Waddy capped off a great passing play to open the scoring at 25 minutes, and Ashley Stultz followed that up with an excellent individual effort just five minutes later. Courtney McGeachy made it 3-0 just before halftime when she made an excursion forward from her usual place in the defensive ranks.
The Cougars were stymied several times by the post and crossbar before Lori Rodall scored their fourth goal with a booming left-footer.
“I don’t often score with my left,” noted Rodall, who is tied for the team’s goal scoring lead. “But I just turned and hit this one perfectly.”
Goalkeeper Sara Tweten did not have much work in the game until the final minutes when she made a great save off a free kick to preserve her shutout.
The Cougars will try to extend their win streak when they travel to UVic next Sunday to play Victoria Athletics.
