The Durango High School girls soccer team had a tough test on Friday against Fruita Monument, with both teams entering the game undefeated in the 4A/5A Southwestern League.
Fruita took a 2-0 lead almost immediately, but the Demons kept battling and eventually sent the game into overtime. DHS then had a couple chances to win it, but Fruita countered quickly and caught Durango on its heels to net the game winner, 6-5.
“That game really showed the character of our team,” said DHS head coach Melissa Halonen. “We were down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes, but we kept fighting.”
After the loss, DHS responded with a 10-0 victory on Saturday over Grand Junction.
Against Fruita, Sarah Somrak scored first for DHS, on an assist from Riley Campbell. Somrak’s shot hit the post, but bounced directly down and into the net to cut Fruita’s lead to 2-1. Carter Neiman scored Durango’s second goal, capitalizing on a long corner kick from just beyond midfield. “Carter blasted it into the top corner,” Halonen said.
Later in the half, Sophie Ragsdale assisted Mason Rowland on a goal, and the Demons went into halftime trailing 4-3.
In the second half, Somrak scored her second goal of the game by bending a corner kick around the goalie and into the net.
With time running down, Rowland got fouled in the attacking third for DHS. Campbell took the free kick, and Rowland finished the play by volleying the ball just inside the side post to tie the contest, 5-5.
The Demons hit the post a couple times after that, but Fruita eventually countered for the win.
“They’re tough,” Halonen said. “All of the goals from both teams were perfect goals. Even Fruita’s coach said it was the best game he had seen in high school soccer … It’s not the result we wanted, but we grew a lot yesterday.”
Despite the high score, the coach said Durango still played good defense. “The back line had a lot of work to do it and they did it,” she said.
Against Grand Junction, Halonen said she challenged the Demons to score twice in the first 10 minutes. Durango did that. With a 5-0 lead at halftime, she then challenged the team to score five more goals. The Demons accomplished that feat to enact the mercy-rule.
Rowland scored three goals against the Tigers. Campbell scored twice and assisted two goals. Emery Miller also scored twice while Ragsdale, Reese Dahly and Sydney Ryan each scored once. Somrak, Ryan, Bella Saren and Teagan Reese all assisted goals.
“It was big after last night’s big battle,” Halonen said. “In order to keep in the running, we have to keep up with Fruita.”
Durango is now 5-2 overall and 4-1 in the SWL. Fruita improved to 8-2, 4-0 while Grand Junction slid to 0-9-1, 0-5.
DHS will next play at Telluride (3-3 overall) on Tuesday before returning to DHS to host league foe Montrose (6-3, 1-3) at 5 p.m. Friday.
