Aspen High girls soccer playoff run ends
The Aspen Times
Jeremy Wallace / The Aspen Times |
The Aspen High School girls soccer season ended Saturday morning.
But the Skiers took a season’s worth of highlights into Saturday night’s prom after winning a first-round state playoff game and then facing the No. 4 team in the state on its home field.
No. 4 seed Jefferson Academy stopped the Aspen playoff run 3-nil in Broomfield, sending the Jaguars (12-4-0) into the state quarterfinals.
The Skiers finished the season 13-4-0, including the key 3-2 win over St. Mary’s of Colorado Springs on Friday night in Broomfield.
“We played a wee bit tired,” Aspen head coach John Gillies said after the Skiers turned around for an 11 a.m. game Saturday against Jefferson Academy, which had a bye in the first round. “They didn’t have a game on Friday, and were were a little tired. But overall I’m very happy.”
Gillies said the balanced Jefferson Academy team took the early lead in the second-round playoff game Saturday.
But the Skiers stymied the Jaguars in the second half.
“We held our own; the girls showed heart,” Gillies said after the Skiers posted their best record in a half-dozen years.
They also had major contributions from underclassmen this season, running off nine shutouts in a playoff year.
“At one point, we had eight freshmen on the field (Saturday),” Gillies said. “We’re happy. The future looks bright.”
A night earlier, freshman Clara Maxwell scored two goals and freshman Ellie Oates added another in Aspen’s 3-0 victory over St. Mary’s.
Sophomore Chelsea Moore made a sliding save, clearing the ball for the Skiers in the closing seconds of the one-goal game.
That set up Saturday’s finale for the Skiers.
