COEUR d’ALENE — In the game of basketball, often times it’s a rebound and score at a critical time that can spark a team to a win.

A few months from now, that could very well happen for North Idaho College midfielder Jocelyn Cook-Cox at Rolly Williams Court.

On Wednesday, playing her second sport, Cook-Cox did it on the soccer field at Eisenwinter Field, recording a hat trick in the Cardinals’ 3-1 win over the Treasure Valley Chukars of Ontario, Ore., in a Northwest Athletic Conference women’s match.

Cook-Cox opened the scoring in the 4th minute, then after a tying goal from Treasure Valley’s Madison Wells, scored again in the 54th minute and once more in the 59th on a 25-yard kick.

“I hadn’t played soccer in two years before this year,” Cook-Cox said. “It’s been quite the adjustment to go from college basketball to college soccer. It’s totally a different game and something I’ve been trying to focus on. The coaches have really been helping me and my teammates are great and definitely helping encourage me.”

“I think the girls decided in the second half to just play just a little bit harder with a little more intensity and focus,” NIC women’s coach Dan Hogan said. “The first half, we had good parts, but not a good half overall. In the second half, we just worked a lot harder, especially Jocelyn. She had a great game.”

Cook-Cox will begin her second year on the basketball team in November.

NIC took the lead for good on Cook-Cox’s goal in the 54th minute after she found a rebound in front of the net off a corner kick and sent it to the back of the net.

“The past couple of games Dan has been telling me if the defense drops off like they’ve been to take a shot out wide and when they come up play a through ball,” Cook-Cox said. “We’ve been just trying to keep the goalkeeper true and make them make the mistakes. Honestly, it’s just my teammates. They get me going and I want to play for them. It’s not about me. After my second goal, I really didn’t think I needed another goal, but if the opportunity is there, I’ll take it.”

Cook-Cox was a four-year starter on the soccer team at Lakeside High of Nile Mile Falls as a center back.

“I like it,” Cook-Cox said. “It’s fun to actually get to score goals instead of saving them.”

“Jocelyn always plays with a lot of heart,” Hogan said. “But today, she put together some of the things we’ve been working on with her at practice and working with her on to finish things. Just her mentality as a player, she’s an aggressive player, and scoring that corner kick and get your body in there and put it in.”

NIC (7-1-0, 5-0-0 NWAC) has played Blue Mountain and Treasure Valley — both East Region opponents — twice this year, with home-and-home matchups still waiting against Walla Walla, Columbia Basin, Spokane and Wenatchee Valley.

“I think we’re improving,” Hogan said. “Once of our core values to improve each time we step on the field. And I think they’ve done that. It’s tough when you play some of the weaker opponents to get much out of that game, but we’ve done a great job. Spokane, when we play them, it’s going to be a battle.”

Tiegan Horton had five saves for NIC, which travels to Columbia Basin on Saturday.

Treasure Valley is 6-5-1, 2-4.

First half — 1, NIC, Jocelyn Cook-Cox (unassisted), 4:00. Second half — 2, TVCC, Madison Wells (unassisted), 47:00. 3, NIC, Cook-Cox (unassisted), 54:00. 4, NIC, Cook-Cox (unassisted), 59:00.

Shots on goal — TVCC 6, NIC 7.

Saves — TVCC, Taeler Torres 2; NIC, Tiegan Horton 5.