Indians top Aspen 2-0 in season opener

Montrose spoiled the Aspen High School girls soccer team’s debut Wednesday.

The Skiers, returning the bulk of their team from last year’s team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the State Tournament, fell to the 4A Indians 2-0 in Montrose in the season opener for both teams.

The Skiers entered the game shorthanded as several key players were out with injuries.

Aspen’s injury list included star defender Natalie Soonthornswad, Abby Norton, Sascha Anastas, Lilly Smith, Sara McFlynn and Ellen Falender.

“We had to make a few adjustments before the game,” first-year coach Kris Hattrup said.

Hattrup said that the play of freshmen Kelly Waldron and Lacy Patterson, who helped fill in the gaps, was “fantastic.”

Aspen, ranked ninth in the Class 3A preseason polls, played on grass for the first time this year after spending the preseason practice schedule indoors because of outdoor weather.

“That was a big factor for this team,” Hattrup said. “It’s hard not being able to practice and all of a sudden play a team that has been practicing on grass for quite some time.”

The Skiers will travel to Fruita today for this weekend’s Wildcat Invitational at Fruita Monument High School.

Aspen will take on Grand Junction Central today at 4 p.m. and will then play Fruita and Glenwood Springs Saturday at 10 a.m. and 12:30.

Tennis in Grand Junction

Also in action this weekend will be the Aspen High School girls tennis team.

The Skiers, coached by Suzy Patterson and Sherril Kerr, are led by senior No. 2 singles player Aimee Hecht, who qualified for the Class 3A Regionals last year.

Fellow seniors Whitney Gordon, Brooke Blumberg, Natalie Mysior and junior Allison Ortmann will also be in action for the Skiers who will take on Central (11 a.m.) and Durango at 3 p.m.

Both matches will be at the Elliot Tennis Center at Mesa State College.