Soccer gets first win ever over rival Northwest

By Emmanuel Akitunde

October 2, 2009 No Comments

It has taken five seasons for the Griffon soccer team to do something that all Missouri Western sports teams love to do every season. That enjoyable task would be beating Northwest Missouri State. The Griffons beat the Bearcats 2-0, placing them at 4-5 for the season and 2-3 in MIAA conference play.

Missouri Western ran a 4-3-3 formation and got off to a good start on the pitch, taking six shots on goal in the first half. Junior striker Desi Swanson scored the first goal of the game after receiving a nice ball from midfielder Jessica Martin. Toward the end of the half the Bearcats built up a good counter attack against Western, but the Griffon’s back forced Northwest to take shots from long distance. The strong defense gave Western the lead going in to the half.

In the second half, the Griffons had trouble keeping possession and getting the ball in their own third. This wouldn’t last for long, as the Griffons quickly tightened things up. The improved play gave Swanson her second goal of the night as she beat Northwest goalkeeper Kira Lazenby in the 68th minute. Western would hold off the advances of the Bearcats, giving them the much needed win over their rivals, and maybe even more important a win over a 7-1 team who hasn’t been kept off the goal sheet.
Lone goal scorer of the night Swanson understands the magnitude of the victory.

“It felt really good beating Northwest for the first time,” Swanson said. “I think it was on our mind every time we play them because we’ve always known we’re just as good as them so it was nice to finally come out of it with a win.”

Junior back Taylor Arehart shares the same feeling about the win over their rival.

“I don’t think it could feel any better to beat Northwest for the first time,” Arehart said.

“I know it’s a team we knew we could beat for a while and finally doing it was amazing. We really came together as a whole team and when we do that we can beat anyone, including Northwest.”

The victory over the Bearcats rectifies a loss the team had early this season on their rival’s home turf. The win also hopes to put a pep in the Griffons step and help them move up the standings in the MIAA.

The season doesn’t end with that win, but in the eyes of Swanson it did throw some fuel on the proverbial fire.

“It definitely added fuel to the rivalry which will make it more fun to play them next season,” Swanson said.

We’ll have to wait until next year to see the rivals clash again. But the Griffons will be playing their next home game Thursday, Oct. 8 against Southwest Baptist University.