Greenwood Village – Nineteen was the magic number Saturday for Fort Collins.
The third-ranked Lambkins grabbed the lead over No. 5 Cherry Creek in the 19th minute of their girls soccer match and then sealed a 2-0 Class 5A nonleague victory on a goal with 19 minutes remaining.
Midfielder Tara Bailey had the lucky foot for the visitors. Bailey’s free kick went off the crossbar to set up Lindsey Demrow’s goal before she netted the second on a 35-yard blast that tucked into the upper left corner.
“Usually, it goes over, so it’s been kind of frustrating,” Bailey said. “I’ve just been trying to aim for corners and just try to keep it as low as I can. That was sick. I was excited.”
Goalie Liz Orton made two saves for her second consecutive shutout as the Lambkins (2-0) avenged their only regular-season defeat of last season.
The depleted Bruins (3-2) were shut out for the second time this season against a top- three opponent. Through injury and vacation, the Bruins were missing nine players, including all-state senior goalie Kristin Arnold.
Cherry Creek packed the midfield early and neither team generated any scoring chances until Fort Collins struck in the 19th minute.
Bailey’s 30-yard free kick sailed over sophomore goalie Paige Kramer and crashed off the crossbar. Kramer saved Taylor Hall’s follow-up, but pushed the ball to a waiting Demrow.
“I thought it was going in, so I was standing there but I wasn’t really expecting the ball to come at me,” Demrow said. “I was just in the right spot, I guess.”
The Lambkins began to generate more possession as the game wore on, moving the ball into the middle for Rachael Barstow and then trying to open up space with runs to either corner.
Defensively, Fort Collins used Lacey Wirt and Leah Hittesdorf to focus on speedy Bruins striker Dante Perea. Besides a half- chance in the first half, Perea rarely had the ball at her feet.
“They played on her tight and didn’t give her chances to get free at all or really get into open space,” Lambkins coach Jason Odorizzi said.
Cherry Creek’s best scoring opportunity came off Caroline Danneberg’s free kick in the 38th minute. Orton punched the ball out but junior Kiki Day headed it back in and was denied by the crossbar.
“We had a couple chances that we could have capitalized on, but we didn’t,” Bruins coach David Paynter said. “At the end, we kind of got gassed.”
Fort Collins 1 1 – 2
Cherry Creek 0 0 – 0
Goals – Demrow (unassisted), 19th minute; Bailey (free kick), 61st.
Shots on goal – Fort Collins 7-4 – 11; Cherry Creek 2-0 – 2. Saves – Fort Collins (Orton) 2-0 – 2; Cherry Creek (Kramer) 6-3 – 9. Offsides – Fort Collins 1-1 – 2; Cherry Creek 1-0 – 1. Corner kicks – Fort Collins 1-1 – 2; Cherry Creek 0-0 – 0. Fouls – Fort Collins 6-3 – 9; Cherry Creek 3-3 – 6. Yellow cards – None.
