2009-2010 News

Soccer All-Region Players

Nine members of the men's and women's regional championship teams were selected to the All-Region V teams.

MEN

Gerardo Acero, So., Las Vegas, Nev.

Chris Dwyer, So., England

Guilherme Sampaio, Fr., Arlington

Bill Jeffries, So., Denmark

Saeed Robinson, Fr., Jamaica

WOMEN

Peta Gaye-Soman, So., Jamaica

Lindsey Bardole, So., Round Rock

Kenesha Reid, Fr., Jamaica

Tanesia Vassel, Fr. Jamaica

Additionally, Peta-Gaye Soman was named to the NJCAA second team All-American squad and Chris Dwyer of the Region V championship men's soccer team was named to the All-American First Team. Dwyer, a sophomore forward from England was the sixth highest vote-getter in the nation.

WTC Soccer Dominates Region V

Western Texas College has two more championship banners to hang from the rafters.

Both soccer teams won the Region V tournament over the weekend – the first for the Lady Westerners and the second in as many years for the Westerners.

“Great wins over the weekend,” said head coach Charles Long.

The 11th-ranked Lady Westerners, who finished as runners-up in Region V last year, blanked Cisco College, 2-0. Cisco tied the Lady Westerners, who went undefeated in district, earlier in the regular season. Peta-Gaye Soman and Kenisha Reid.

“Cisco tied us earlier and they are a good team,” Long said. “I thought both teams played very well.”

The Lady Westerners will take on the winning team from Arizona -- Paradise Valley Community College at 10 a.m. Saturday at Midlothian High School. The opposing semifinal team has not been announced.

The Westerners crushed Hill College, 5-1, with a pair of goals by Igor Dias. Three other players got into the act as The Westerners celebrated their second regional title in their second year of existence.

The Westerners will play at 6 p.m. Friday at Tyler Junior College against Northern Oklahoma. The Westerners will be in whites.

The other semifinalists are Tyler and Mississippi Gulf Coast, who will battle at 4 p.m. Friday.

The championship game is slated for 7 p.m. Saturday.

Should the teams advance, the men will play in the national tournament in Mercer, New Jersey and the girls will play at Tyler.

WTC in Both Region V Soccer Championships

The Western Texas College soccer teams dominated Region V again in their second year of existence, and will put that prowess to the test when both teams lace up for regional championship matches.

The Lady Westerners, who crushed Ranger in the first round, 7-1, will battle a solid Cisco College squad at noon at Ranger College. The Lady Westerners beat Cisco at home and tied them on the road.  The Ladies are the top seed in the tournament and suffered just one loss in the regular season.

The Lady Westerners (15-1-1) also had an unblemished conference record, going 5-0-1. The team outscored conference opponents, 21-1.

The regular season was highlighted by a 2-1 win over Navarro College, which was ranked number one in the country at the time.

The ladies were runners-up to Hill College in last year’s Regional tournament.

“Before last year, Cisco had won it eight years in a row, but Hill dethroned them and we are looking to keep them off the throne,” said head coach Charles Long.

The Westerners (13-4) received a first-round bye and will take on Hill College at 3 p.m. at Ranger in the title tilt. The men outscored Hill, 9-1, in the two games the teams played this season.

The squad was forged by a tougher non-conference schedule and the men are the favorites to claim their second Regional title in as many years.

Both contests will be broadcast on 91.1 FM KGWB and will be streamed on the Internet at kgwbradio.com.

Should WTC win, the women would take on a team from Arizona while the men would battle with a squad from Oklahoma.

Freshman Goalie Helps Spark Ladies’ Title Run

Lacy Burress, a WTC freshman and a Coronado High School graduate, hasn’t had to make many adjustments coming to Snyder, since she’s in driving distance of her home.

“I go back every chance I get,” said the freshman, who is starting in goal this year for the 14-1-1 Lady Westerners soccer team. “But I am really excited to be here and starting.”

The Lubbock native is one of the key cogs for a team that defeated Ranger today in the regional semifinals, XX-XX.

Burress has played soccer since she was four years old, and has had an incredible amount of support from her mother, who still resides in Lubbock.

“I’m really close to her and she comes to all of our games – even the ones in Kansas,” said Burress. “I have always had that support from her.”

She said the biggest differences between high school and club-level soccer compared to college are the greater number of teams and a more competitive field.

After getting her basics out of the way at WTC, Burress hopes to go to Texas Tech and go into neo-natal nursing and is taking advantage of the new partnership between WTC and her home university.

“I have already spoken with the counselor and have a plan set up and appointment with the Tech advisor,” she said.

Freshman Soccer Player Adjusts to Living in West Texas – While Winning

When Melissa Sanchez arrived at Western Texas College to play soccer for the second-year program, she expected to start right away.

The Mesquite native’s expectations were met, as she is the starting center mid-fielder for the Lady Westerner, who Friday topped Ranger College, XX-XX in the regional playoffs. 

“It’s pretty awesome to get to start and even if I didn’t get to start I would have just worked harder,” the Poteet High School graduate said.

Sanchez said all the girls on the team have bonded, despite members of the team being from different cultures and countries.

“We are like a family,” she said. “Coach Long is really cool and really laid back.”

The move to sparsely populated West Texas from the Metroplex has been an adjustment for Sanchez, who has a brother and two older sisters. Being so far away does not allow for her family to attend many of her games.

“I’m getting used to living in a small town, but there isn’t as much to do (as back home),” she said.

Sanchez, who came to WTC on scholarship, hopes to one day study pre-vet medicine, but is undecided on where she wants to continue her education, but is thinking of Texas A&M – unless she gets an offer to continue her soccer career. 

She is excited about playing in the postseason, even though the competition gets stiffer as the team advances.

“To be the best, you have to beat the best,” she said.

Returning Sophomore Learning The Game

One returning sophomore for the Lady Westerners soccer team is still a bit green when it comes to the sport.

Lady Westerner soccer player Skyler Jackson, who plays middle, is one of nine returning sophomores from last year’s team, but Jackson is the least experienced of the bunch. That’s because this is just her second year playing the sport.

“Last year was my first year to play soccer ever,” said the Lubbock native, who ran track at Coronado High School. “My sister was going to school at WTC when I was a senior in high school and told me about the new soccer program here and how they were in need of players and thought I might enjoy it.  So I joined the team and have loved it ever since.”

The Lady Westerner Soccer team has had an incredible season thus far with a record of 9-1 and 1 tie. They beat Hill College on Thursday, 2-0 at Travis Field.

“I believe the team will continue to be successful and I think we have a really good chance at winning regionals,” she said.

Jackson said she and her teammates are incredibly close and that they mean the world to her.

“We all help each other, rather it’s on the field, with our school work, or just our daily lives, we are all really close.”

Jackson is majoring in marketing/business and after graduating from WTC with her associates she plans to attend UTA in Arlington.

“I hope to one day own my own business, I’m not sure what kind of business yet but I am thinking maybe a clothing or jewelry store.”

(9-16-09) - The Western Texas College soccer clubs scored a pair of wins Tuesday over Hill College at Travis Field, with the men recording a shutout to move to 5-1.

The men's team defeated Hill College 4-0 behind goals from Chris Dwyer, Pernell Nembila, Billy Forbes and Saeed Robinson.

The women improved to 6-0 after a 4-2 victory over Hill. Melissa Sanchez scored two goals and Lindsey Bardole and Peta-Gaye Soman each recorded a goal apiece.

The men return to action Friday at 4 p.m. against Coastal Bend College and will play San Jacinto --the number two ranked team in the country -- at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Both matches will be at Travis Field.

The women will host the number one team in the country -- Navarro College -- at 1:30 on Saturday.

Western Texas Soccer Knocks Off Howard Payne

(9-2-09) - Western Texas College soccer clubs swept a pair of games against Howard Payne University on Tuesday in Brownwood, with the women claiming a 6-2 win and the men earning a 3-1 decision.

Creeia Nuckols, a sophomore forward from Frisco, celebrated her birthday with a goal and an assist.

“They were solid teams and it was a good test for us,” said head coach Charles Long.

The Westerners (2-0) and the Lady Westerners (2-0) will have their home debut on Saturday at Travis Field against Cloud Community College. The women will take the pitch at 2 p.m. with the men’s game to follow at 4 p.m.

Western Texas Soccer Earns Weekend Sweeps

(8-31-09) - The Western Texas College Soccer teams opened the season on the road this weekend, with both the men’s and women’s teams claiming shutout victories in every contest.

Both clubs traveled to Kansas this weekend, with WTC taking on Coffeeville Community College on Saturday and Independence Community College on Sunday.

At Coffeeville, the men won 4-0 behind goals from Chris Dwyer, Bill Jeffries, Igor Dias and Josh Nuckols. The women blanked Coffeeville 8-0, with Creeia Nuckols and Peta-Gaye Soman delivering two goals each. Lindsey Bardole also added a goal.

On Sunday at Independence, both clubs let loose, with the men hammering independence, 10-0, while the women easily handled their counterparts, 14-0. Coach Charles Long said it was an easy day on the pitch.

Both clubs are 2-0 on the season and will travel to Brownwood on Tuesday to battle Howard Payne University. The home opener for both clubs is Saturday at Travis Field when both squads will host Cloud Community College.