DRAGONS DOWN DODGE FOR THIRD-STRAIGHT VICTORY

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

DODGE CITY – The No. 18-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's soccer team tied a season high with its third-straight victory on Saturday, going on the road to earn a KJCCC triumph.

Sophomore Katharina Marx had her second-straight multi-point game lead the Blue Dragons to a 2-0 victory over the Dodge City Conquistadors at Dodge City's Memorial Stadium.

The Dragons won three games in a row for the second time this season and improved to 7-2-3 overall and 6-2-3 (21 points) in the KJCCC, solidifying its fourth-place spot in the league. The Conquistadors fell to 3-7-2 overall and 3-6-2 (11 points) in the KJCCC. The Blue Dragons play host to No. 6 Butler at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at the Salthawk Soccer Complex.

Hutchinson won its 29th consecutive game over Dodge City. Now 30-1-0 against Dodge City, 20 of those Hutchinson wins have been by shutout. The program had its 185th all-time shutout in the 20-year history of Blue Dragon women's soccer.

Marx had a goal and an assist to lead the Blue Dragons on Saturday. Her three-point game followed a five-point game in a victory over Seward County on Wednesday. Marx had the game-winning assist on Haley Rogers' team-high ninth goal of the season. She scored the insurance goal from an Emma Hoffman assist.

Freshman goalkeeper Marina Lopez had four saves in her second-straight shutout performance. Lopez (4-0-1) had five saves in the victory.

The game was played in a gusty 25 mph south wind on Saturday. Going against the wind in the first half, the Blue Dragons were out-shot 6-4. Lopez had four of her first saves in the opening 45 minutes.

Once the Blue Dragons were playing with the wind in the second half, the offense was able to create more scoring opportunities. Hutchinson out-shot Dodge City 18-1 in the second half and 22-7 for the game.

The Blue Dragons got onto the scoreboard in the 52nd minute when Marx made a strong run into the offensive zone and fired a shot that was blocked, but the loose ball went right to Rogers, who blasted a shot just inside the right post for a 1-0 lead with 37:27 to play in the second half.

The Dragons just missed a two-goal lead when Marx and Hannah Lowe hit the left post with shots eight seconds apart and the Conquistadors were able to closer in the 62nd minute.

Hutchinson did get its insurance goal about 16 minutes later. Hoffman played a long pass forward to Marx, who was able to beat the Dodge City keeper and score to make it 2-0 Hutchinson with 22:06 to play in the second half.

The only save Lopez made in the second half was a long direct kick from Lucia Culleres-Soto in the 89th minute.

Marx had her eighth goal and eighth assist of the season.