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Iowa City West rolls in 3A regional semifinal win
IOWA CITY — Cedar Rapids Jefferson tried everything it could to clog its defensive end against Iowa City West, but the Women of Troy brought too many numbers and too much talent to the attack.
Emma Cooper scored three goals to lead West to a 7-0 victory over the J-Hawks in a 3A regional semifinal at Barker Field.
Sixth-ranked West (15-3) travels to No. 5 Bettendorf (16-2) Monday for the regional final. The J-Hawks finished at 7-11.
Cooper scored twice in the first half and completed the hat trick in the second minute of the second half to effectively put the game away. The other West goals came from reserves Abby Zimmerman, Annie Peterson, Rachel Olson and Leah Rhodes.
'I think we're stringing things together,' said West Coach Dave Rosenthal.
'One of the trademarks of our team is that at the end of the season we've got things figured out, the timing and the chemistry and things like that.'
Rosenthal has historically favored a conservative, defensive-oriented approach, but you would not know that from the way this year's team plays.
'I feel like we have a great defense,' forward Regan Steigleder said. 'But we have a great offense too. Last year we showed we were capable of having more in the attack than we have in the past.
'As a team we work really well together, and we'll switch it through the back and all the way up forward. It's just our team's mentality.'
'I think part of it is the past two years we've switched to a 4-3-3 (alignment),' Cooper said. 'It's a more attacking-minded formation because we have three forwards instead of one or two. I think this year it's helped because we have a lot of the same players and are able to build on what we had last year.'
The J-Hawks barely had possession during the game and had no shots on goal. West's offense was its defense.
West takes an unaccustomed road trip for the regional final.
'It's a little stressful because it's turf, it's a different field,' Cooper said.
'I think it's going to be great. I think we're ready for them.'
Iowa City West's Emma Cooper celebrates scoring her first of two goals during the first half of their Class 3A regional seimfinal match against Cedar Rapids Jefferson last night at Iowa City West High School. The Women of Troy won, 7-0. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Cedar Rapids Jefferson goalkeeper Victoria Roethler (right) watches as a shot by Iowa City West's Emma Cooper sails into the net for her second Women of Troy goal during the first half of their Class 3A Regional Seimfinal match at Iowa City West High School in Iowa City, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 1, 2016. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
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