Highlands Ranch – Soccer was taken back to its cold English roots Saturday afternoon.
Through rain, sleet and snow, and on a pitch that played like a moor and a loch, Fort Collins and Highlands Ranch ran to stay warm in a Class 5A nonleague girls game matching two relatively young teams.
After a halftime too short for tea or pie, the Lambkins blew the game open with four goals in 11 minutes and cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Falcons.
Emmalie Pfankuch scored twice and assisted on another goal as the Lambkins (3-0) continued their impressive start to a season that includes wins over third-ranked Mountain Vista and No. 5 Cherry Creek.
“This was our first time on grass,” Lambkins coach Jason Odorizzi said. “We got the lead and got a little lax, but overall, we did well.”
Rachel Barstow opened the scoring less than a minute into the second half and Emily Davidson also scored for the Lambkins.
Erin Johnson scored in the 65th minute as the Falcons (2-2-1) seemed to have a better time controlling the ball in the second half despite the soppy conditions of their attacking zone.
“We have a young, inexperienced team in some key areas,” said Falcons coach Randy Hodous.
Lambkins goalkeeper Andrea Burger made four saves in the second half. Falcons counterpart Margaret Alfrey turned away nine shots, including great stops on Pfankuch in the fourth minute and Barstow in the 47th.
But Barstow already had done enough six minutes prior, as her goal turned out to be the spark.
Pfankuch made it 2-0 in the 49th minute when she tracked down Elise Caldwell’s free kick, dribbled around Alfrey and put it home.
The Falcons might have been able to regroup a minute later when midfielder Kristin Medeiros got free on goal, only to have her shot saved by Burger.
The Lambkins turned around and slammed the door with two goals in the next two minutes.
Davidson redirected Pfan- kuch’s cross for a goal and Pfankuch added her second when she collected a loose ball and fired a high shot into the goal.
“It’s hard to run in the rain,” Pfankuch said, shivering. “The ball is so heavy.”
The Falcons finally broke through when Jamie Mozena’s cross found Johnson unmarked on the far post, where she needed two stabs to finally stick it home.
Fort Collins 0 4 – 4
Highlands Ranch 0 1 – 1
Goals – FC: Barstow (R. Davidson), 41st minute; Pfankuch (Caldwell), 50th; E. Davidson (Pfankuch), 51st; Pfankuch (unassisted), 52nd; HR: Johnson (Mozena), 65th.
Shots on goal – Fort Collins 5-8 – 13; Highlands Ranch 0-5 – 5. Saves – Fort Collins (Burger) 0-4 – 4, Highlands Ranch (Alfrey) 5-4 – 9. Corner kicks – Fort Collins 5-4 – 9, Highlands Ranch 0-1 – 1. Offsides – Fort Collins 2-2 – 4; Highlands Ranch 1-1 – 2. Fouls – Fort Collins 2-3 – 5, Highlands Ranch 0-3 – 3. Yellow cards – None.
