Playign at home for the first time in two years, the Durango High School girls lacrosse team may have been a little too energized to start Tuesday’s rivalry game with Montrose.
But the Demons (2-1, 2-1 4A Mountain League) settled in nicely to earn a 12-1 home victory only three days after they earned a 13-5 win against the same Montrose team on the road.
“Our players came out a little too amped up,” said DHS head coach Eric Elliott. “They really wanted to put on a show for the home fans. We called an early timeout to get everyone’s emotions in check and then came out of that timeout a whole different team.”
Elliott said the team also felt a little pressure Tuesday to deliver a win for junior captain Alexia Wold on her birthday. The Demons had no problem doing that, and Wold would score a goal to help make it happen.
DHS freshman Annabel Carithers scored the game’s opening goal followed by a goal from sophomore Pearl Burbey. Then, sophomore Victoria Barletta would score three times for the Demons.
Elliott said the story in the 12-1 win Tuesday was the Demons’ defense.
“All our defenders played a solid game really making it difficult for Montrose to move the ball past the restraining line,” he said. “The effort was led by the exceptional play of Nellie Miller and Jaden Rambo, two of the cornerstones at defense.”
Elliot said senior goalie Madeline "Goose" Kothe didn’t see the ball come her way often, but she stepped up her game whenever called upon.
In Saturday’s 13-5 win at Montrose (0-3, 0-3 ML), Burbey and Barletta scored four times each, and Allie Elliott had two goals to lead the Demons. Also with one goal each was Wold, Emmylou Willis and Sophia Kothe.
Wold led DHS with eight groundballs, while Chloe Bowen had five. Kothe made two saves.
DHS will stay at home for its next game at noon Saturday against Grand Junction. A game scheduled for Friday at home against Telluride has had to be rescheduled for later this season.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
