The deck was stacked against the Durango High School girls soccer team Saturday against Fruita Monument.
After beating Montrose 2-0 on Friday evening, the Demons’ Saturday matchup with the Wildcats was moved up to a 9 a.m. Regardless of the quick turnaround, little sleep and dicey travel conditions, Durango outshot the home team and controlled possession for the majority of the game. The Demons did everything but finish, while Fruita took advantage of its few opportunities and won the game 2-0.
Leah Stephens was sharp in net for Durango, as usual, and kept the Demons in the game with some high quality stops.
“Leah was amazing in goal for us, and I’m super proud of the collective effort,” Durango head coach Dalon Parker said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “The end result was disheartening because we felt like we controlled the game and had more chances than they did, but we couldn’t finish. The girls did great at creating opportunities, but we just couldn’t get it right on that last touch.”
Durango (6-3, 4-1 4A/5A Southwestern League) had its best opportunities early in the game, as a series of near misses in the first 15 minutes set the tone for the entire game. A squandered open net chance, a failed breakaway and two shots over the net at point-blank range would have changed the complexion of the game if they would have gone in, but they didn’t.
The Wildcats (6-3, 4-0 SWL) made the most of their slim pickings, as they took the lead with a late first-half goal and clung to the narrow advantage throughout the second half.
Though the Demons doubled-up Fruita 12-6 in shots on frame, the equalizer never came for Durango.
Instead, one of the Wildcats’ 12 corner kicks gave the home team a 2-0 lead late in the second half and put the game away.
“We have to take finishing more seriously, it’s as simple as that,” Parker said. “We had a chance to do what hasn’t been done in awhile, and that’s sweep the road trips up north. We went 3-1, though, which is nothing to be upset about, and now they have to come down to our place. We have to take care of things at home when the opportunities come our way.”
Durango will host Montrose at 5 p.m. Friday and Fruita Monument at 11 a.m. Saturday at Riverview Sports Complex.
jfries@durangoherald.com
