By Scott Roblin

Rattlers soccer teams rumble to sweep over Lethbridge College

Sep 16, 2017 | 5:49 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A banner afternoon at the ‘Snake Pit’ for the soccer teams representing Medicine Hat College, concluding a pair of matches against Lethbridge College.

For the Rattlers men’s team, they were looking to improve on a 1-0-1 start to the season following a win over Lakeland College and a draw versus Red Deer College last weekend.

Both teams flexed their defensive muscles early with very few scoring chances, though things broke open in the 30th minute after a tackle in the Rattlers box.

That set Lethbridge’s Pete Ntignee up with a penalty kick, making no mistake to give the Kodiaks a 1-0 lead over the Rattlers.

Just before the end of the first half however, Medicine Hat found the scoresheet thanks to a header from midfielder Rodrigo Tavares to knot the game at 1-1 at the half.

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Back and forth play continued in the second half, with neither team giving their opponents much to work with in terms of offence.

The Rattlers began to press late in the second half, forcing the Kodiaks to retreat into their own zone multiple times in the game’s closing minutes.

Medicine Hat’s dramatic comeback was completed in injury time, with Tavares converting off a free kick to give the Rattlers the win 2-1.

The Brazilian said his native tongue helped set up the play that would eventually win the game for Medicine Hat.

“That was actually like language because the guy that was kicking the free kick was [Rafael Almeida],” said Tavares. “He’s Brazilian so I just asked him, ‘Where are you going to pass the ball?’ He was just like, ‘Second post.’ I was like, ‘Okay I’ll do it, I’m going to go there.’ And, then I just scored.”

Now sitting with a 2-0-1 record to begin play in the 2017 ACAC season, the Rattlers are sitting in first place in the south division.

Scoring three goals over his last two games, Tavares said it’s a great feeling being able to make his mark on the scoresheet.

“I feel even better because I am helping the team to win,” he said. “That’s all that matters to me. Anyone can score, I just want to win.”

Much of the same feelings on the women’s side, as the Rattlers squared off against the Kodiaks in the early game.

A blistering start on Saturday for Medicine Hat and midfielder Meagan Clarke, as the fifth-year veteran scored a pair of goals within the opening 12 minutes.

Lethbridge broke their goose egg in the 35th minute, with a free kick from Vicki Noronha deflecting off a Rattlers defender and past Kassidy Suberlak to close the gap to 2-1.

That goal seemed to motivate the Rattlers even more, with Clarke completing the hat-trick before the end of the opening half off a corner kick to put Medicine Hat up by a 3-1 count.

Just over a minute into the second half, a through ball from Clarke found the foot of Jordyn Bell, who scored her second goal of the season to put the Rattlers up big 4-1.

Medicine Hat locked things down from there, allowing just three shots on goal and rolling to a 4-1 victory.

Clarke was named player of the game for her hat-trick and gave a lot of the credit to her teammates, including the effort shown from this year’s rookie crop.

“It feels like forever ago that I was a first-year, and these girls are quality coming in,” said Clarke. “It makes it easy for veterans like myself, Jordyn [Bell], Francesca [Schottner], and Kassidy [Suberlak] to play well when we have first-years that can come off the bench or start.”

Like their male counterparts, the Rattlers women’s soccer team also sits in first place in the ACAC south division with a 2-0-1 record.

A busy weekend ahead for the Rattlers, as both teams travel to Olds College on Saturday before returning home and hosting the SAIT Trojans on Sunday afternoon.