Hodges and Pitman Compete in NCAA DIII Soccer post season
Sports Briefs
Heather Hodges and Elizabeth Pitman both members of the Whitefish High School State Championship Soccer Team of 2001-02, met in NCAA DIII Women's Soccer post season play when the University of Puget Sound Loggers played the University of Redlands (California) in the second round of the post season tournament in Tacoma, Washington on Saturday, November 13.
Pitman and the Puget Sound Loggers prevailed over Hodges and the Redland Bulldogs 4 -1 in a game that was closer than the score indicated. The Loggers scored two late goals off Pitman's Corner kicks to ice the win.
Puget Sound continued its winning ways the next weekend beating Hardin Simmons University of Abilene, Texas 2-0 and Washington University of St. Louis 3-0. These two victories propelled the Loggers into the Final Four.
Pitman played in the NCAA DIII Women's National Championship soccer game against Wheaton College (Illinois) over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in Greensboro, N. C.
The Wheaton College Thunder prevailed on penalty kicks, 5-4, after the two evenly matched teams battled to a 1-1 tie after 90 minutes of regulation play and two additional 10 minute overtime periods.
The other two teams in the The Final Four were Messiah College of Pennsylvania (Defeated by Puget Sound 3-0 in the semis) and Wheaton College of Massachusetts (defeated by the Wheaton Thunder 3-1 in the semis).
Pitman anchored the Mid-field for the 20-1-1 Loggers who scored first in the championship game on a Pitman header at 35 minutes. Wheaton tied the game in the 60th minute. Each team had 15 shots on goal with Wheaton having the edge in corner kicks 6-3. Goalie saves were five a piece.
Both the Thunder and the Loggers had several opportunities to end the contest in the sudden death overtime periods but outstanding defense by both teams shut down the attacks sending the game into a shoot out. Pitman made the all-tournament Final Four team.
Hodges and Pitman played Club Soccer together on Team Black Dog, Montana's Premier Soccer Club. The only team to beat the University of Puget Sound this season was Whitworth College of Spokane, whose defense is anchored by Jody Rucinski of Whitefish who played with Pitman and Hodges on the Whitefish Bulldog teams of 1998-2000. She was also Pitman's teammate on Team Black Dog.
Women's hockey
tournament brings teams from across the state
and Canada
The Whitefish woman's hockey team, the Flathead's only women's hockey team, is excited to announce a two-day all-women's tournament, which kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday morning (Dec. 4), with the Whitefish women facing-off against Fernie.
The tourney runs until 2 p.m. on Saturday, and resumes at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning, continuing until 9 p.m. Teams from around British Columbia and all over the state of Montana will participate.
This event is free and open to the public, and should make for some fun and exciting spectating for the community. Come support women's hockey at the Stumptown Ice Den this weekend! This event sponsored by the Dire Wolf Pub and Red Bull.