Aspen High girls soccer beats St. Mary’s in state playoffs
The Aspen Times
The Aspen Skiers are moving on to the second round.
The Aspen High School girls soccer team defeated St. Mary’s of Colorado Springs 3-2 on Friday night in Broomfield in the first round of the Class 3A State Soccer Championships.
“The girls are ecstatic. They are happy to get the monkey off their backs,” Aspen head coach John Gillies said after the win that will send the Skiers into a second-round matchup Saturday against host Jefferson Academy in Broomfield.
The Skiers (13-3-0) scored three goals in the first half to take control.
St. Mary’s (10-6-0) scored once and trailed 3-1, adding a goal late in the first half for the 3-2 halftime score.
There were no goals in the second half, and the Skiers move on.
Clara Maxwell scored two goal for Aspen.
Ellie Oates added the other goal for the Skiers. Both Maxwell and Oates are freshmen.
Gillies said Chelsea Moore made a diving save with 30 seconds to playto clear the ball off the Aspen goal line after a St. Mary’s chip went up and over the keeper. That sealed the first-round playoff victory for the Skiers.
“It was a tough game,” Gillis said.
The Skiers, the No. 13 seed in the 24-team state playoff bracket, will take on the No. 4 overall seed at 11 a.m. Saturday at host Jefferson Academy (11-4-0).
“The girls are very excited. I know they’ll give it their all (Saturday),” Gillies said.
Coal Ridge, the winner of the Western Slope League, drew a No. 6 seed and will host a second-round game at 1 p.m. Saturday against No. 11 Lutheran.
Lutheran shut out No. 22 Pagosa Springs 2-0 on Friday at Coal Ridge High School west of New Castle.
The streaking Aspen Skiers have won 10 of their last 11 games.
