Littleton – It was both slick and tricky, as Clinton set up Nixon for Heritage’s game-winner Wednesday in the Class 5A girls soccer quarterfinals.
Substitute Red Nixon, who returned to the team Tuesday after having her knee scoped, put the seventh-seeded Eagles into the semifinals when she redirected A’idah Clinton’s cross in the 53rd minute to defeat No. 15 Poudre 1-0 at Littleton Public Schools Stadium.
“(Clinton) gets down the line fast and I was hoping to get on the end of the ball because we needed a goal,” Nixon said.
The Eagles (12-4-1) recorded their ninth shutout of the season and extended their unbeaten streak to five games. Heritage will play Continental League rival Arapahoe at 5 p.m. Saturday at Legacy Stadium.
Without strikers Alex Hooker and Kendra Chandhoke and Nixon able to play only sparingly, the Eagles moved Clinton out of defense and partnered her up top with midfielder Nicole Teiffel. Clinton generated several scoring opportunities before she made a long run down the left side, saw Nixon out of the corner of her eye and fired a ball across the box.
“I couldn’t get it in, so I just kept giving it all I had and luckily (Nixon) was up there,” Clinton said.
Poudre (13-4-1) lost for the first time in eight games.
“It just wasn’t our day,” Poudre coach Nick Holley said. “We had three (shots), I think, from inside 6 yards. Those really make or break games.”
Eight minutes after the Eagles grabbed the lead, Coco Ebersole was denied an equalizer by the post when she got her head on a long throw-in by Jayne Wagner.
The Impalas enjoyed the run of play in the first half and outshot the Eagles 5-2.
Poudre forced George to make her first save in the third minute on a curving shot by Brooke Bontz and sparked some chaos around the goal four minutes before halftime.
Kelli Jestes’ low header was kicked out by George, who had to quickly stop Jestes’ follow-up attempt. Another Poudre player crashed in for the rebound and her shot saved by a defender and the rebound was headed wide.
Clinton had Heritage’s best scoring chance in the first half when she raced past defender Whitney Stich and bore down on sweeper Kendra Woodcock.
Clinton’s shot took a slight deflection, wrongfooting goalie Sarah Betts and bouncing off the left post.
Poudre 0 0 – 0
Heritage 0 1 – 1
Goal – Nixon (Clinton), 53rd minute.
Shots on goal – Poudre 5-1 – 6; Heritage 2-4 – 6. Saves – Poudre (Betts) 2-3 – 5; Heritage (George) 5-1 – 6. Offsides – Poudre 1-0 – 1; Heritage 0-0 – 0. Corner kicks – Poudre 0-0 – 0; Heritage 2-2 – 4. Fouls – Poudre 3-2 – 5; Heritage 2-4 – 6. Yellow cards – None.
