It wasn’t looking good for the Durango girls lacrosse team early. On Friday afternoon at Fort Lewis College, the Demons trailed 3-0 five minutes into their game against Grand Junction.
However, Durango fought back and made it a one-goal game at numerous points in the second and third quarters. But the Demons ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and lost to Grand Junction 11-7.
Durango fell to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the 4A Mountain West League with the loss. Grand Junction improved to 6-1 overall and 5-0 in the 4A Mountain West League with the win.
“We played three really good quarters,” Durango head coach Eric Elliot said. “It wouldn’t be Durango lacrosse if we didn’t make it hard on ourselves every year in our league. I couldn’t be happier with how we played the last three quarters. There was good hustle and we still have that refuse-to-lose mindset, that’s what matters.”
Senior Annabel Carithers led the Demons with two goals and an assist and had the 100th point of her career. Sophomore Taylor Babcock had two goals for Durango. Juniors Silvie Bosmans and Jordan Meininger each had a goal for the Demons. Senior Emmylou Willis had a goal as well.
Junior goaltender Fiona Chandler had nine saves for Durango too.
Grand Junction started the game off with a goal off the first draw 27 seconds into the game for a 1-0 lead. Durango switched to a zone defense in its second possession on defense was able to check the ball loose for a turnover. Emma Diaz finished to put Grand Junction up 2-0 with 8:52 left.
The Demons struggled to maintain possession or win draws. Grand Junction scored again on a deflected shot to put the Tigers up 3-0 with 7:27 left.
“They did to us what we’ve been doing to teams all year,” Elliot said about the start. “I don’t think we’ve had a game where we haven’t scored a goal in the first 30 seconds.”
Durango finally got possession and drew a shooting space foul. Carithers buried the show low on the free shot with six minutes left to put the Demons on the board down 3-1.
Madi DeGeorge on Grand Junction showed some patience and split two Demons defenders and finished a one-on-one opportunity with Chandler to put the Tigers up 4-1 with 1:33 to go.
Carithers responded by winning the draw and then drawing a shooting space foul. On the free shot, she found Willis for the easy score to put the Demons down 4-2 with 54 seconds left.
“We started out a little flat after playing easier teams before league play,” Carithers said. “They came out hot and we started a little flat but we got it back in the second and third.”
Grand Junction responded quickly to put the Tigers up 5-2 with 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
After an illegal check by Grand Junction, Babcock got a free shot and finished low with 8:48 to go to make the score 5-3 Grand Junction.
Durango struggled in the first half to win ground balls and this led to extended possessions for Grand Junction even when the Tigers missed some passes.
DeGeorge scored on a free shot for Grand Junction to put the Tigers up 6-3 with 6:03 to go.
Durango responded with a goal by Bosmans on a free shot to cut the Grand Junction lead to 6-4 with 2:55 to go in the second quarter and quickly after, Jordan Meininger ran down the left alley and bounced one home to bring the Demons within one at 6-5 with 2:42 to go.
Chandler made a great stop to keep it a one-goal game on a free shot right before the half. Durango trailed 6-5 at half.
DeGeorge started the second half on the right foot and drove down the right alley and finished low from a tough angle to put the Tigers up 7-5 with 11:44 to go in the third quarter.
Babcock finished on a free shot with a nice bounce shot to cut the Grand Junction lead to 7-6 with 10:40 to go in the third.
The Demons had two chances to tie the game but the Grand Junction goalie made a kick save and then the second shot went off the crossbar.
Durango had some great trail checks toward the end of the third quarter but Grand Junction’s Alex Campbell found a lane and scored to put Grand Junction up 8-6 with 13 seconds left in the third quarter.
Myka Neville fought through multiple Durango defenders to put the Tigers up 9-6 with 10:26 to go in the fourth quarter.
Ashlyn Erb found some space and scored from close range to put the Tigers up 10-6 with 7:43 to go. Another goal by Neville put Grand Junction up 11-6 with 6:19 to go and sealed the win for the Tigers.
“In general we got a little sloppy and just tired,” Carithers said about the Demons’ fourth quarter play. “We played a really hard and strong second and third and that’s what got us back in the game. We got tired and ground balls weren’t working in our favor.”
Durango is back in action on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Durango High School against Fruita Monument.
bkelly@durangoherald.com
