The Western Nebraska Community College men's and women's soccer team will enter the Region IX playoffs with a new outlook as they hope to make the semifinals.
The Cougars trek to move onward into the semifinals of the regional playoffs begins Saturday as both teams will be at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Cougar men will take on the Golden Eagles at 12:30 p.m. followed by the women facing LCCC at 3 p.m.
The players know that they need to show up and play tough for two quarters to advance.
"We need to come together as a team, have focus, and leave everything on the field," sophomore Dante Rafaela said. "We are all very ready and excited and I trust that all the guys will be prepared to give it their all."
Sophomore Andrea Jimenez agrees that the ladies need to be strong mentally as they face off against the Golden Eagles, who have been a national power the past 10-plus years.
"The team's energy and desire to be able to beat LCCC this upcoming Saturday," Jimenez said. "Playoffs are always about being mentally prepared. It will take all 11 players on the field to want to win."
WNCC head coach Todd Rasnic said that there is no question in his mind that his teams can win, but they have to come ready to play and play for a full 90 minutes.
WNCC faced the LCCC a couple weeks ago and the women fell in a close defensive battle 2-0 while the men lost 4-2.
Both teams know that they will need to play hard to pick up wins against LCCC.
"It is personal for us," Rafaela said. "We lost to LCCC during the season because of our own mistakes, so we all know that this time we will win. Losing is not an option and I'm confident that we will advance to the semis with a dominant performance."
The WNCC men enter the regional tournament with a 4-6-1 record but their record is not an indicator of how talented the team is. LCCC enters with a 6-6-1 record.
Both teams had about the same result in contests last weekend against Trinidad and Otero. LCCC tied Trinidad 2-2 while falling to Otero 2-0. The Cougars tied Trinidad 1-1 while falling to Otero 6-1.
The big incentive for the Cougar men is if they beat LCCC and the other three host teams lose, the Cougars would host the Region IX tournament next weekend as the highest remaining seed. Otherwise, the semifinals and finals would be played at the highest remaining men's team.
Rafaela said it would mean everything to the team to make the semifinals.
"It would mean gaining more confidence," he said. "We would enter the semifinals then with high spirits and hunger to make it to the finals."
The men's Region IX bracket besides WNCC at LCCC include games this weekend as Northwest College travels to face Casper College on Saturday. Friday contests will have Central Wyoming College at Otero College while Trinidad State College travels to face Northeastern Junior College.
The Cougar women have even more incentive to win on Saturday. Last year, the team didn't make the regional tournament, falling one win short. But for the many players that are third-year players, they went to regionals their first year at WNCC (spring of 2021) where they finished with a 6-6-2 record and beat Trinidad State 2-1 in the first round before falling to Western Wyoming Community College 1-0 in the semifinals.
"Last year we didn't get the chance to make it to the first round of playoffs. For those who haven't been here for three years, this will be their first time and I trust my teammates to overcome this first challenge. I would say that the majority of the girls are more than ready. This is what we have prepared for all season."
A year ago, the WNCC women were 2-11-2 and this year is a marked improvement as they enter regionals with a 7-6 record. The seven wins is the most since 2019 when the team went 13-4.
The LCCC women are 8-7 this season and had the same outcome with Trinidad and Otero last weekend as the Cougar women. LCCC defeated Trinidad 5-3 while falling to Otero 2-0. The Cougar women lost to Otero 4-0 and beat LCCC 3-2 as freshman Lesley Vasquez scored the go-ahead goal with 10 minutes left.
Jimenez would love for this team to put everything together and make it to the semifinals at a site that will be determined after the first round matches.
"Making it into the semifinals would be a true blessing," the sophomore from Denver said. "Winning this weekend will motivate the girls to continue fighting hard until the end. Winning would also mean giving us the opportunity to play together once again for those of us who are leaving."
Jimenez, who is in her third year as a Cougar, said she had a tremendous three years at WNCC and doesn't want it to end on Saturday.
"Additionally, I would like to say that I couldn't have asked for a better team to play with," she said. "I truly appreciate each and every one of my players for giving it their all."
The women's first-round will have WNCC at LCCC as well as Trinidad State at Casper College and Western Wyoming Community College at Northeastern Junior College all on Saturday. The other first round contest pits Northwest College at Otero College on Friday.
The winners all advance to the regional semifinals next weekend at sites to be determined. The winners of the regional tournament will advance to the national tournaments. The men's tournament will be held Nov. 13-19 in Melbourne, Florida, while the women's national tourney will be held Nov. 13-19 in Evans, Georgia.
Men's Region IX Tourney First Round
Friday, Oct. 21
Central Wyoming at Otero
Trinidad State at NJC
Saturday, Oct. 22
WNCC at LCCC, 12:30 p.m.
Northwest at Casper
Women's Region Tourney First Round
Friday, Oct. 21
Northwest at Otero
Saturday, Oct. 22
WNCC at LCCC, 3 p.m.
Trinidad State at Casper
Western Wyoming at NJC