Northwestern blanks CSM in GPAC soccer

OMAHA, Neb. – Trust is an important aspect of sports, whether in one's own individual skills or when incorporated into a team concept.

College of Saint Mary Coach Jamison Parkhill believes his soccer team hasn't yet reached where it needs to be in that area.

Northwestern College parlayed a pair of first-half goals and a stingy defensive effort into a 2-0 Great Plains Athletic Conference victory over the Flames on Saturday at the CSM complex.

"We've had really good moments in our last two matches, where we are being successful,'' Parkhill said. "And then for some reason, we decide just because we're not getting a goal we have to change it up. We go away from what was getting us those chances in the first place.''

The Red Raiders improved to 6-2-1 overall and 3-1-1 in GPAC play, while CSM dropped to 2-8-0 and 1-2-0.

Northwestern struck first in the 21^st minute when Aliza Edwards sent a nice through pass to Lucy Staines, who scored. The tables were turned in the 25^th minute when Staines found Edwards from close range, and Edwards finalized.

The Flames had 10 shots in the match, including six on goal, to Northwestern's nine shots and seven on goal. Jimena Estrada Gomez and Ella Klusman took three shots each, while Ezzy Castro had two. CSM also had a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.

However, if opportunities aren't translated into goals, they're just empty stats. Parkhill said it all starts in training sessions with friends pushing friends.

"We're too nice to each other in training, and it shows in games,'' he said. "We're doing ourselves a disservice by not training harder, no matter who we're going up against.''

Improved training might flatten out some of the valleys his team finds itself in at times, Parkhill said. He said all of the coaches and athletes will continue to search for ways to improve.

"We're so Jekyll and Hyde,'' he said. "We have really good days and we have days like today. It's a problem I need to put together.''

CSM returns to action Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. GPAC match in Fremont, Neb., at Midland University.