Aaliyah Nolan Navarro’s Soccer Team re-emerged into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division I Junior College poll, just ahead of its Region XIV opener against Paris.
It’s been a fast, frantic start since July 1st, but first-year coach Alicia Wilson has rolled up her sleeves and reconstructed a Bulldog soccer program that had only four sophomores returning. The new head coach and 17 newcomers are adjusting to expectations, teammates, surroundings, travel and college life in a giant blur, and they’ve weathered a brutally difficult schedule against four nationally ranked opponents.
Navarro’s won two in a row and three of its first four matches laced with a pair of shutouts. They’ve accomplished it on the road, taking the measure of 15th-ranked Cisco in the season-opener (1-0), 4th-ranked Butler in a double-overtime battle at Tyler, and also shutting out the Richland Thunderducks 4 - 0, who were ranked No. 2 in the Division III preseason poll. The only blemish? A 3-2 loss here to 8th ranked Laramie County.
It’s coming together at the right time for the conference-opener against Paris. Paris brings a three-match losing streak and a 1-5 record overall, but Navarro won’t be taking them lightly. Paris already stands 0-1 in league play after a 2-0 loss at home August 29th to Northeast Texas.
Navarro will be playing its first game since the double-OT win over Butler at Tyler. In that match, Victoria Swift’s unassisted goal in the first minutes stood up until the 84th minute when Butler’s Paige Achley tied the match. Navarro won it at 106:36 on Guadalupe Cordova’s unassisted shot.
Leading scorers for Navarro include Deneisha Blackwood, who had a hat trick in shutout victory over Richland at Richardson. Tiffany Robinson accounted for both goals in the Laramie loss. Nolan accounted for the game-winner at Cisco against the 2014 Region V champions. Returning sophomore Yamiles Bravo has a pair of assists.
NSCAA POLL
1. Eastern Florida State 3-0
2. Darton 2-0
3. Monroe College 0-1
4. Tyler 3-1
5. Pima 4-0
6. Butler 4-2
7. Peninsula 4-0
8. Iowa Central 5-0
9. Monroe Community College 3-1
10. Lewis & Clark 5-1-1
11. Iowa Western 2-1-2
12. Navarro 3-1
13. Laramie County 3-2-1
14. Southwestern Illinois 1-1
15. Johnson County 6-1
16. Paradise Valley 4-0
17. Highline 2-1-1
18. Cisco 2-1
19. CC Rhode Island 3-1
20. Harford 2-1
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