Greenwood Village – Talk about selfless teamwork …
Cherry Creek sophomore Keleigh McLaughlin was barely willing to accept credit for a clutch goal in the final minutes of play that gave the Bruins a 2-0 victory over Colorado Academy on Saturday night at the Stutler Bowl.
“It was pretty much (Lauren Begun’s) goal,” McLaughlin said. “She put a perfect pass right in the middle for me to dump in.”
Cherry Creek (4-0-1) avenged a season-ending loss to Colorado Academy (5-1-0) in the state tournament semifinals last year, but the Bruins waited until the pressure was turned up before taking the lead.
With less than six minutes on the clock and no score, Catie Tilton tried to control a penalty corner setup at the top of the 16-yard half-circle.
The ball jumped her stick, but Tilton regained control and delivered a drive to the right of the net. Begun was waiting and tapped a soft pass in front of the goal that McLaughlin knocked in with 5:31 to play.
Tilton assisted Leslie Brentlinger’s goal off another penalty corner with no time left on the clock to clinch the victory.
“We have such a young team, and I like the way they filled in with the absence of two (injured) starters,” Cherry Creek coach Ashley Thompson said.
For most of the game, it did not look like anybody would score.
Colorado Academy, last season’s state runner-up to Kent Denver, had two shots hit the post, including a penalty stroke by Mariah Schuette.
That try was setup when the Mustangs’ Logan Brown rifled a drive past Cherry Creek goalkeeper Maggie Hand. But Bruins defender Lexi Sanders stopped the shot with her shin, a painful no-no in field hockey.
“That was nerve-wracking,” Hand said.
Colorado Academy did have a handful of chances to score, matching Cherry Creek’s shots on goal (five) and penalty corners (11).
“We didn’t have the ball bounce our way,” Colorado Academy coach Katy Hills said. “I’m disappointed with the loss, but I am pleased with the game. We like to come from behind, anyway.”
Hills was referring to a midseason loss to Cherry Creek last season that was all but forgotten after the semifinal victory.
Cherry Creek and Colorado Academy, both state champions since the sport was sanctioned in 1997, have not lost much the past few seasons – the Bruins have just three losses in four years, and Colorado Academy seven over three years.
Colorado Academy 0 0 – 0
Cherry Creek 0 2 – 2
Goals – McLaughlin (Begun), CC, 55th minute; Brentlinger (Tilton), CC, 60th.
Shots on goal – Colorado Academy 3-2 – 5; Cherry Creek 2-3 – 5. Saves – Colorado Academy (Engle) 2-1 – 3; Cherry Creek (Hand) 3-2 – 5. Penalty corners – Colorado Academy 8-3 – 11; Cherry Creek 4-7 – 11. Cards – Zimmerman, CC, 2 (36th).
