Soccer team scores comeback win over Coal Ridge

The Gunnison High School soccer team moved to 7-4-2 this season with a big come-from-behind win over Coal Ridge last week.

The two teams faced off on Saturday Oct. 10, in New Castle and the Cowboys left with a 2-1 win. Heading into the game, the Titans held a 4-4-1 record and hadn’t lost in four games. 

The Cowboys fell behind 1-0 after the first 30 minutes of the game, but goals from Roy Talbert and Edvin Juan Jesus in the second half and 40 minutes of shutout defense propelled the Cowboys to a win against the Titans.

“Throughout the season up until this game, we haven't necessarily been the strongest team playing from behind,” said head coach Susan Powers. “And so I always worry a little bit when we get down by a goal, but they definitely changed that mindset and played really strongly the whole entire game.”

Talbert scored first in the second half with the assist going to Juan Jesus to tie the game up. For much of the second half it looked like the game would end in a 1-1 tie, but in the final minute of the game, Talbert fed Juan Jesus who found the back of the net to give the Cowboys the lead and ultimately the win. 

“Roy was able to feed him a really nice ball into open space and Edvin just hit a banger from pretty far out,” said Powers. “It wasn't a super close-in goal or a tap-in, it was just really a beautiful top-right corner shot.”

Powers also shouted out keeper Sam Sawyer. He played a "fantastic" game, noted Powers, and really came up big in the second-half shutout.

With the win, the Cowboys moved up four spots from last week and are now ranked 23rd in 3A. With the top 32 teams making the playoffs, the Cowboys gave themselves some needed breathing room with the win.

The Cowboys will now close out their season with two games at home. The first is against Delta (7-4-1, 17th in 3A) on Saturday, Oct. 17, and the final game of the regular season is against Roaring Fork (9-2, 4th in 3A) on Tuesday, Oct. 20.

“To be able to approach the game, again, with mental toughness, I think will be really important,” said Powers about the Delta game. “And then also more technically and tactically on the field, we're still going to work at transitioning better together.”

Powers emphasized that the win over Coal Ridge instilled belief in the team that she hadn’t previously seen and she’s hoping that they can ride that momentum out for the rest of the season.