Trojan Shield Weekly Update: October 1, 2018

Greetings from Trojan Country!

Trojan Soccer

Coach Cool

I do not get a chance to travel with our teams to watch them compete on the road as often as I would like. Home events take priority and usually I rely on the coaches to send me updates and results when they are on the road. This past Tuesday I had a chance to change this as I took advantage of a quiet night on the home schedule to travel with our volleyball team to Alamosa to watch them take on ASU. They picked up a solid three set win, but that is not the main reason I returned from the trip feeling full of pride in our athletes. This group of young ladies were extremely thankful and polite at every step of the trip. They thanked the bus driver, Rodney, for a safe trip every time we stopped. They were well behaved at ASU and then after dinner they thanked the restaurant staff and the coach for taking them there. The team captains did an excellent job leading by example and the team always behaved in a manner that would make a Trojan supporter proud.

Another group I am very proud of is our assistant coaches. They all do a great job helping out whenever they can. Two I would like to mention specifically are Bryanna Cool and Chauncey Russell. These two have each been with us for a while and they each go above and beyond what is asked of them. This week both of them were asked to step into head coaching roles for various reasons and they did it without missing a beat. Coach Russell stepped in to run training as Coach Mike Folda was called away to a meeting, and Coach Cool led the Trojans to a win on the Alamosa trip. They both do a great job and we are lucky to have them.

Last Week's Results

Women’s Soccer –

Defeated Western Nebraska – 1-0
Lost to Northeastern – 2-0

Men’s Soccer –

Lost to Western Nebraska – 2-1
Lost to #18 Northeastern – 3-1

Volleyball –

Defeated Adams State JC – 3-0
Defeated McCook CC – 3-1
Lost to #20 Northeastern – 3-0
Lost to Western Nebraska – 3-0

This Week

Tuesday -

Volleyball travels to La Junta, Colorado to take on #19 Otero

Friday -

Women’s Basketball hosts Northern New Mexico for a scrimmage at 2pm
Men’s Soccer hosts Central CC at Los Niños at 3pm
Baseball travels to scrimmage West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas

Saturday -

Women’s Soccer hosts Neosho County CC at Los Niños at 2pm
Men’s Soccer hosts Neosho County CC at Los Niños at 4pm
Volleyball hosts Lamar CC in Region IX play at 7pm
Women’s Basketball travels to the RM Jamboree in Windsor, Colorado
Softball travels to Lamar, Colorado for scrimmages

Sunday -

Softball travels to Lamar, Colorado for scrimmages
Women’s Soccer travels to Garden City, Kansas to face Garden City CC
Men’s Soccer travels to Garden City, Kansas to face Garden City CC

Volleyball starts region play

Block at the net

It was an extremely busy week for the Lady Trojan volleyball team, traveling to Alamosa on Tuesday, and then returning for region contests on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Through the week the Trojans went 2-2, displaying great improvement and flashes of brilliance in every set they played.

On Tuesday night the team faced Adams State JV on the road. The match was closer than the earlier meeting between the teams as the hosts brought a few more varsity players to the court to face the Trojans this time around. That didn’t stop TSJC from picking up the win in straight sets by scores of 26-24, 25-23 and 25-23. Heloisa Niespodzinski had 10 digs and one serving ace to lead statistically and Destiny Calderon finished with three blocks.

Region IX play started on Thursday night with the Trojans hosting a very much improved Indian squad from McCook Community College in Nebraska. The guests took the lead after a hard fought first set by a score of 25-22. Trinidad State fought back valiantly in the next set and toward the end of the set the teams were point-for-point with each other. The Trojans finally pulled away late and finished it 29-27 on a block by Calderon and Julia Chavez. The home crowd got involved in the third set, carrying the team to a 25-23 win. Down 2-1, it looked like McCook was going to get the win in the fourth set as they led most of the way. TSJC fought for every point, eventually coming back for the 27-25 win. Paola Maradei Mejia (11 kills, two blocks), Maria Duran (11 kills, 15 digs), Trinity Good (eight kills, 20 digs) and Niespodzinski (23 digs and two aces) led the Trojan attack.

Tip vs NJC

The energy was gone on Friday night as the Trojans hosted #20 ranked Northeastern. TSJC played with the Plainswomen early, dropping the first set 25-21, but as the evening went on you could tell the energy had all been spent the evening before. NJC claimed the next two sets 25-16 and 25-14. Duran, Good and Brianna Warren combined for 16 kills for the Trojans.

The defending Region IX champions came to town on Saturday afternoon and dominated the young Trojan team early winning set one 25-14. TSJC was not ready to go away quietly on Saturday afternoon. They made great runs in each set, forcing the Cougars to take timeouts and tying scores up late in each match, unfortunately the momentum swung in the direction of the visitors late each set as they claimed 25-19 and 25-20 wins.

The Trojans will face nationally ranked Otero in La Junta on Tuesday night and then host Lamar at 7pm on Saturday night to wrap up the opening round of region play.

Women’s soccer splits on road

The Lady Trojan soccer team was back in region play as they traveled to Scottsbluff, Nebraska on Friday and Sterling, Colorado on Saturday. TSJC split the games, defeating Western Nebraska 1-0 off of a goal from Corina Enriquez and then falling to Northeastern 2-0 the following afternoon. The team will be out of region play this weekend as they host Neosho County on Saturday afternoon for “Sophomore Day”.

Men’s soccer continues region struggles

TSJC dropped a pair of games this weekend putting them in jeopardy of missing the playoffs with two region contests remaining on the schedule. The Trojans fell to Western Nebraska 2-1 and Northeastern 3-1 to fall to 2-10 on the season. The Trojans face Central CC on Friday afternoon in a game that is a must win for the Trojans to have a chance to make the region playoffs. The Trojans lost to the Raiders 4-3 in overtime earlier this season. Kickoff is set for 3pm at Los Niños Park.

The team will then play their final home match of the season as they host Neosho County on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff for this game is set for 4pm.