Lima’s hat-trick lifts Cowley to 5-1 win over Dodge City

Playing with the wind at its back, the No. 13-ranked Cowley College women's soccer team scored three first-half goals and never looked back in a 5-1 win over Dodge City Monday in Arkansas City.

Sophomore Natalia Lima, who had been held to four goals through the first nine games of the season, erupted for a hat-trick.

The Lady Tigers, winners of five games in a row, improves its record to 8-1-1 in the Jayhawk Conference Western Division.

"Dodge City came in looking to pull an upset," Cowley head coach Roberto dos Santos said. "We took that seriously and imposed our game on them from the beginning."

Lima scored on a beautiful shot, from 30 yards out, to give Cowley an early 1-0 lead.

The Lady Tigers' lead would increase to 2-0 when Harlie Findley sent a free kick, from just inside midfield, to Leticia Belloni, who got open in the box for Cowley's second goal.

Freshman Teresa Avino scored for the second straight game to give Cowley a 3-0 lead with 15:30 left before halftime. Cowley added to its lead when Lima beat Dodge City goalkeeper Elizabeth Knight to a loose ball in the box and flipped a shot over Knight's head to make the score 4-0 with 26:41 left to play.

However, only 44 seconds later, Dodge City would get a goal from Treasher Valcin to make the score 4-1.

Lima would put any thoughts of a Dodge City comeback to rest when she raced past two Conquistador defenders and scored her third goal of the game. Lima nearly equaled her goals on the season in one game.

"Natalia has been a key player for our team and has never stopped working hard, even when she was having trouble finding the back of the net," Dos Santos said. "It has been good to see her capitalize on the opportunities she has had over the past few games."

Dodge City is now 2-7.

Cowley will play at Hutchinson Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Lady Blue Dragons are in second place in the Jayhawk West with a record of 5-2-2. The teams battled to a double-overtime tie back on April 14.

"This will be one of the toughest games we have played this season, so we will need to step up our game," Dos Santos said.