The Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) women's soccer team marked a historic moment in Spartan athletics by christening the new Bud Striegel Family Soccer Field with an exhilarating 3-2 victory over Western Wyoming Community College on Wednesday.

In their home opener, the Spartans came out strong, fueled by the energy of the new field and a supportive crowd. CNCC struck first in the 18th minute when Cortney Winn found the back of the net off an assist from Ashlee Harris, giving the Spartans an early lead. Just before halftime, CNCC doubled their advantage with a goal from Lilly Wittwer, who fired a shot past the Western Wyoming goalkeeper to make it 2-0.

The momentum carried into the second half, as Wittwer once again showcased her scoring ability, netting her second goal of the game just seconds after the restart. The goal was assisted by Amelia Warner and extended CNCC's lead to 3-0 and seemed to put the Spartans in firm control of the match.

However, Western Wyoming didn't go down without a fight. The visitors responded with a goal in the 64th minute from Kaitlyn Anderson, followed by another strike from Ellie Groll in the 85th minute, assisted by Kaydence Barber, cutting CNCC's lead to one. Despite the late surge from Western Wyoming, the Spartans held their ground with strong defensive efforts and key saves by goalkeeper Jasmine Hernandez, who recorded seven saves in the match.

The Spartans finished the game with 14 shots, nine of which were on target, while limiting Western Wyoming to 12 shots, 10 on target. The victory not only marked a successful debut for the new soccer field but also set a positive tone for the season ahead.

Coach Eldon Brough expressed his pride in the team's performance and their ability to secure a win in such a significant match. "Our team showed tremendous heart and resilience today," Brough said. "Opening the Bud Striegel Family Soccer Field with a victory is something special, and I couldn't be prouder of how our players responded to the occasion."

With this win, CNCC's women's soccer team is off to a strong start at 3-0-0, and they look forward to building on this momentum as they continue their season. The Spartans will return to action with confidence, eager to keep their winning ways on the new field and beyond.

Go Spartans!