By John Mesh
Sophomore Haley Rogers scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime on an assist from Kaitlyn Edwards to lead the Hutchinson Blue Dragon women’s soccer team to a 1-0 victory over the Dodge City Community College Conquistadors.
Hutchinson advanced to a Region 6 semifinal matchup at No. 2 seed Butler Community College on Thursday. Butler CC won its opening-round match 4-0 over Seward County on Friday.
The Hutchinson-Dodge City Region 6 game was moved from the Salthawk Soccer Complex to Don Michael Field because more than 2 inches of rain fell on Hutchinson this weekend.
Don Michael Field is an artificial turf field and the Salthawk Soccer Complex has a grass field.
Rogers scored her goal in the 102nd minute. It was her 14th goal of the season and Edwards recorded her fifth assist.
HutchCC goalkeeper Karen Slothower made six saves and Dodge City goalkeeper Ana Ramoerez-Cortes made five saves.
The Blue Dragons (10-2-6) are the No. 3 seed for the 2024 Region 6 Tournament. Dodge City, the No. 6 seed, finished the season with a 4-10-4 record.
For the seventh time in 18 games during the 2024 season, the Blue Dragon women’s soccer team played an overtime contest. HutchCC is 6-0-3 in its last nine games.
The Blue Dragons closed the season with two key draws — 1-1 at No. 7 Kansas City and 3-3 against No. 19 Cowley.
The No. 14 Blue Dragons swept the regular-season series with Dodge City. HutchCC defeated the Conquistadors 3-0 at home on Sept. 4 and won at Dodge City 2-0 on Oct. 5.
The Hutchinson-Dodge City first-round game was the last opening-round game to be played. No. 1 seed Kansas City defeated Garden City 4-0 and No. 4 seed Cowley topped Barton 4-1.