YOUR AD HERE »

Soccer: Basalt girls top Roaring Fork

Jeff Caspersen
Post Independent
Aspen, CO Colorado
Jeff Caspersen Post Independent
ALL |

CARBONDALE – Basalt girls soccer coach Makenzie Eshelman admitted that first-game jitters slowed her team in the first half of Friday’s season opener at Roaring Fork.

In the second half, though, the Longhorns shook off the rust and surged to a 4-2 win over the Rams at the Carbondale Middle School field.

After heading into halftime tied at one, Tori Kungli, Katie King and Naomi Henefeld erupted for goals in a span of less than 10 minutes in the second half to propel Basalt.



“We came back in the second half and trusted each other,” Eshelman said. “They started to believe in themselves, in their teammates. We have a lot of people in new positions, so we’re still not quite sure how it’s all going to fit together.”

The Longhorns certainly looked in sync in the second half.




Some 33 seconds after a goal by Roaring Fork’s Natalie Olivas in the 43rd minute, Kungli lofted a shot across the line to tie it at two.

In the 44th minute, Basalt grabbed the lead with a goal by King. Lindsay Corzine assisted.

Henefeld’s tally came in the 52nd minute off an assist by Jess Martinez.

“They got behind the back line three times very quickly,” said first-year Rams coach Heather Fox. “The first 20 minutes of the second half, they outplayed us.”

Fox’s squad owned the lead twice on Friday, getting a goal from Nayeli Alfaro in the 25th minute. Alfaro tucked a high liner just underneath the crossbar from near the top of the 18-yard box.

The 1-0 advantage lasted until 3 minutes, 28 seconds left in the first half, when the Longhorns’ Lucy Uguccioni worked her way up the right flat and placed a liner between the goalkeeper and the near post.

Though it wasn’t a triumphant debut for Fox, she’s settling in nicely as Roaring Fork’s coach. The former player at both Overland High School and the University of Northern Colorado coached most recently as an assistant at Glenwood Springs.

“I’m loving it here,” Fox said. “This group of girls is a ton of fun. They’re very positive. They’re excited to learn, excited to play.”

Both the Rams and Basalt face Aspen next. Roaring Fork travels upvalley for a 5 p.m. game Tuesday, while the Longhorns hit the road to play the Skiers at

4 p.m. Thursday.

jcaspersen@postindependent.com