Blazer Beat: Lewis and Clark 11, Parkland 1, Trailblazers Tame Cobras

Nathan Tucker
nrtucker@lc.edu

 

After a tough and tight contest with SWIC in the blazing sun midweek, the women’s soccer Trailblazers welcomed cooler temperatures and the Parkland Cobras to Tim Rooney Stadium on Saturday, October 5. Wednesday’s affair with SWIC was a hardfought 1-0 win in extra time, Saturday’s was a return to normal service for the Trailblazers. 

In less than six minutes of game time, L&C was out in front. Candace Parziani found herself in plenty of space in the box, and had plenty of time to tuck a shot into the corner of the net. The Trailblazers were buzzing all around the Cobra goal, and spent the majority of the half on the attack. 

Their persistence on the offensive side of the ball paid off, Boitumelo Rabale netted two goals in less than ten minutes time in the middle of the first half. The goals were flowing, (#12) got in on the action and was soon followed by Candace Parziani netting her second of the half. Coach Tim Rooney subbed Rabale to save her legs, with his team firmly in control of the match, leading 5-0 at half. 

Never a team to rest on their laurels, Lewis and Clark got right back to work in half number two. Candace Parziani got her hat trick just about five minutes into the half, but her work might have been outshined by Boitumelo Rabale’s effort five minutes later.

The Trailblazers won a free kick on the right flank of the field, the far side from a fan’s perspective, probably ten or fifteen yards outside of the Parkland box. Rabale stood over the free kick and had no intention of sending in a cross to her teammates. She struck the ball with a perfect swoop of her left foot, dipping and hooking into the top lefthand corner of the goal, hitting the post and bouncing into the net. The goal shocked even the shooter, as Rabale herself was in disbelief of the goal that gave her a hat trick. 

For good measure, Rabale scored her fourth, and so did Candace Parziani. (#7) and (#3) found the net too, as Parkland offered little to no resistance to the Trailblazer attack. A consolation goal for Parkland came with ten minutes left in the match, but only an act of an almighty deity would take this game from the Trailblazers. The final score: Lewis and Clark 11, Parkland 1. 

Another notch in the win column for Tim Rooney’s side as they march on towards their ultimate goal of an NJCAA National Championship. The #8 team in all of women’s junior college soccer is in the home stretch of their regular season schedule, as they only have two matches before tournament play begins, at St. Charles and hosting Illinois Central. For more information on women’s soccer, and all Trailblazer sports, visit LC.edu/athletics.

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