The Durango High School girls soccer team didn’t play its crispest game Thursday against Telluride, but the team played well enough to score a 4-1 win over the Miners.
“It was sloppy, with the nerves of playing at home for the first time, plus the field is super-fast,” said DHS head coach Melissa Halonen. “There’s definitely some stuff we need to work on, but I’m happy to come out with the win.”
Riley Campbell gave Durango a 1-0 lead when she bent a corner kick from the right side of the field into the net a little over six minutes into the contest.
Telluride’s Ava Hagan, however, tied the game about seven minutes later. After a good corner kick, DHS goalie Jocelyn Feir blocked Telluride’s initial shot, but Hagan was able to kick the loose ball in.
The Demons then went back on the offensive. Makayla Wayman headed a long Mason Rowland throw-in on goal, but her shot was saved. Peyton Cioppa had a shot saved. Campbell centered another corner, and Rowland got her head on it, but her shot was just high.
Later in the half, Rowland scored to put DHS back in front. After initially drawing a foul, Durango fired a free kick in the box, and Rowland finished the play by firing a shot off the far post and in.
Adde Neiman kicked away a late Telluride chance, and DHS went into halftime leading 2-1.
After the break, Durango picked it up and added a pair of insurance goals.
“They took our halftime talk and applied it,” Halonen said, noting that the team tried to combine more with each other instead of being so direct in the second half.
Sophie Ragsdale scored six minutes into the half after a good corner kick into the box.
Durango then had a goal waved off because of a hand ball. Ragsdale hit the post, Campbell missed wide, and Neiman put a free kick on goal from about 40 yards out, but her shot was saved.
With just over seven minutes left in the game, Rowland blasted a shot with her left foot off the cross bar. The rebound bounced loose, and Angelina Kondrat kicked it into the goal for the final margin.
Feir also made a good late save, blocking a free kick fired above her head.
“The girls are working hard,” Halonen said. “They’re young and fairly new to each other, but I’m happy how we’ve started.”
The coach also said it was good to see the team’s camaraderie and a high level of energy on the field.
Durango was missing five girls for the game. Some were competing in a showcase, and others were sick, but everyone who suited up played on Thursday.
DHS improved to 3-0 with the win while Telluride slid to 0-3.
Durango will play again Friday when the team hosts Alamosa (1-0) at Riverview field. That game is scheduled to start at 5 p.m.
