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Aspen girls soccer plays to draw with Roaring Fork; Basalt beats Coal Ridge

The Aspen High School girls soccer team plays Roaring Fork on Thursday, May 13, 2021, on the AHS turf. Photo by Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times.

The Aspen High School girls soccer team fought off a couple of key injuries to finish in a 1-1 draw with visiting Roaring Fork on Thursday night on the AHS turf.

“The whole team really did battle really well and did a fantastic job,” AHS coach Chris Ellis said. “It was a very tight match.”

The teams played to a scoreless halftime break. No. 4-ranked Aspen had to play the latter half of the game without junior Jenny Ellis, one of the team’s top scoring threats, due to a hamstring injury, but did enough to hold on for the draw.



AHS junior Zea Anderson gave the Skiers a 1-0 lead in the second half, but the Rams found the equalizer later on to send the game into extra time. The 1-1 score held through both overtime periods under the lights.

“When one of your key players comes off the field, there is always a certain amount of apprehension,” Chris Ellis said. “But I do have to say I think everyone rallied really well and they really came together collectively as a team.”




Gallery caption: Photos: AHS girls soccer vs. Roaring Fork

Ellis said the game was “there for the taking” for both teams and wasn’t completely satisfied with the outcome, but all things considered was willing to take the draw.

“The longer the game went on, the more that became evident,” Ellis said. “But it was a closely fought game. We gave some good value for money there for the crowd.”

Now 1-0-1 overall after Tuesday’s game with Vail Mountain was postponed because of the weather, AHS is next scheduled to play at Basalt on Thursday.

Roaring Fork fell to 1-1-1 overall and will host Rifle on Tuesday.

Basalt girls soccer sneaks by Coal Ridge

The Basalt High School girls soccer team found the courage to overcome a feisty Coal Ridge team on Thursday, winning 1-0 in New Castle.

“They were the better team the first half. Not by much, but just being far more physical and winning all the 50-50 balls,” Basalt coach Brent Hayes said. “At halftime I just told the team they had to get more physical and not be intimidated by the style of play and start moving the ball around, and they did respond.”

Scoreless until late in the second half, it was BHS senior standout Delaney Card who scored the game-winner with about seven minutes to play via a free kick.

The win sent BHS to 4-1 overall in this shortened season. The Longhorns are already halfway through their 10-game regular-season slate and will play their sixth game on Saturday at Delta as part of a front-loaded schedule.

Coal Ridge fell to 1-3 overall.

A young team, Hayes likes how the Longhorn team keeps finding ways to win, but also sees room for improvement, especially when it comes to confidence.

“We are definitely meant to be more of a possession team. Sometimes we get on our heels and don’t pass with pace,” Hayes said. “When we do play strong and brave, then good things happen.”

acolbert@aspentimes.com