NIC women lose Cardinal Classic opener

The North Idaho College women’s soccer team lost 1-0 to NCAA Division II Northwest Nazarene University Friday in the opening game of the Cardinal Classic at NIC.

The NIC schedule listed the game as an exhibition, so the loss did not count against their record.

NIC head coach Dan Hogan said that Northwest Nazarene played a different system than what his team was used to seeing so his players had to adjust to it. After some coaching advice, Hogan said his team improved defensively.

NIC goalkeeper Alex Rodriguez, who played the second half of the game, said communication was a key in helping their defense and the communication improved from the team’s recent games.

“I think there was just a lot more communication going on in the back, and then when communication goes on in the back, it just transfers out to the front, and I think we did well with switching over when the ball switched over and just overall talking,” Rodriguez said. “I wasn’t the only one talking. I heard my defense talking and I think that’s a lot better than what we’ve done in the last couple games. I think it’s a pretty good start.”