Glover Carries Cowgirl Offense in 2-1 Win Over Air Force

LARAMIE -- The University of Wyoming soccer team entered Sunday’s match against Air Force with a postseason mindset. In order to control their own destiny for qualification to the Mountain West Tournament, the Cowgirls needed a win.

And they got it.

Alyssa Glover netted a pair of second-half goals, as the Pokes rallied for a 2-1 victory. It improved Wyoming to 12-5-1 on the season and 5-3-1 (16 points) in conference action, while Air Force fell to 11-5-1 overall and 6-3-0 (18 points) in league. The Cowgirls will enter the final match of the season in a win-and-in scenario for the four-team conference tournament.

“In the second half, our adjustment was using the ball more,” head coach Josh Purdum said. “I didn’t want us to start forcing it because we had the wind, and I didn’t want us playing over top because we wanted to get to goal quickly. I wanted us to actually play soccer, and we used the ball the best we have in 45 minutes that we have all year.”

Glover earned her first goal during the 54th minute. She cleaned up a ball sent in from a corner kick to give herself the points record, alone, at 71.

Glover got career points 72 and 73 on her second brace of the season in the 76th minute. She redirected a pass from Maddie Burr past Air Force keeper, Sydney Nelms, which gave the contest its final tally.

“Someone of (Glover’s) stature needs to be able to put the team on her back,” Purdum said. “It’s fitting that she gets the record today.”

Purdum alluded to some second half adjustments, and that’s because the Cowgirls trailed 1-0 after 45 minutes. The Falcons’ Annika Jost logged a goal off a pass from Maddy Walsh in the 14th minute to open the scoring.

“We didn’t do a good job in the first 10 or 15 minutes of winning our duals, winning our battles on the ground,” Purdum said. “We are the best version of ourselves when we defend well, and we didn’t do that early on.”

That all changed in the second half. The Pokes limited the Falcons to just five of their 12 shots on the game. Wyoming ended with 23 shots, 16 in the final 45 minutes, and Glover led the way with six on the day.

Cowgirls’ goalkeeper, Haley Bartel, registered six saves. Nelms turned away four shots.

Wyoming closes out its regular season at home next weekend. It hosts Hawai’i on Saturday at 12 p.m. at the Madrid Sports Complex.

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