RANGELY, Colo. – The Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) men's and women's soccer programs officially kicked off their 2025 seasons this past week, showcasing moments of dominance, grit, and valuable lessons to build on moving forward.
Women's Soccer
The Spartan women opened with a statement victory, defeating Trinidad State 14-0 on Thursday in Trinidad. Freshman Peyton Smith led the charge with four goals, while Ashlee Harris and Lilly Wittwer each added three of their own. Allee Williams chipped in two goals and three assists, and Peytyn Bullard netted a pair of second-half scores to round out a commanding offensive performance.
On Saturday, the women faced a tough test in their home opener against Mohave Community College. Despite an early goal from Williams, assisted by Smith, Mohave rallied with three unanswered goals to hand CNCC its first loss of the year, 3-1.
Men's Soccer
The men's team opened their season in dramatic fashion, battling Gillette College to a 3-3 draw on Thursday at the Bud Striegel Family Soccer Field. Freshman Kaden Lierd scored twice, with assists from Jake Hunter and Ryan Orr, while sophomore Tyson Sharp delivered the equalizer in the final minute to secure the tie.
Saturday's matchup with Mohave proved more difficult. The Spartans created limited chances and ultimately fell 3-0 to the visitors.
Looking Ahead
Despite Saturday's setbacks, both Spartan squads showed early promise, highlighted by strong contributions from both returning sophomores and a talented freshman class. Head Coaches Eldon Brough (Women's Soccer) and Justin Motzkus (Men's Soccer) are confident their teams will continue to grow as the season progresses.
Next up, CNCC will hit the road for their final tune-up before conference play begins in the Scenic West Athletic Conference (SWAC), traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada, on Thursday, August 28, to face College of Southern Nevada in another exciting early-season matchup.
Sparta, make sure to follow the action all season long on the Scenic West Network