LAJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College men's soccer team came to a close in the semifinals of the Region IX tournament after falling to Otero College 3-0 on a cold Saturday afternoon day.
WNCC finishes the season at 8-5-3 while Otero advances to the championship next Saturday to face Casper College. Casper defeated Northwest College 1-0.
The Region IX women's soccer championship will pit the No. 3 and four seeds against each other when No. 3 Laramie County faces No. 4 Otero College in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Casper fell to Otero on penalty kicks 4-2. LCCC topped Western Wyoming 1-0 in overtime.
In the WNCC match, the Cougars managed just five shots in the contest while Otero had 13. The Rattlers scored first in the 28th minute of the opening half when Breno Andreucci scored off a pass from Patrick Vukoje. Otero made it 2-0 when Vukoje had his second assist in the match after feeding Yuto Komine with the ball and the score. Otero led 2-0 at halftime.
Otero had an insurance goal in the second half with two minutes left in the contest when Rafael Lara scored on a Maxime Legai assist.
Otero had seven corner kicks to zero for WNCC. Both teams finished with 13 fouls each, three yellow cards each, and each goal keeper had two saves in net.