LAKEWOOD — Columbine’s girls soccer team has discovered its scoring touch at the most opportune time.
The No. 6-seeded Rebels dominated No. 27 Eaglecrest 6-0, including scoring four goals in the final 13 minutes Tuesday night at Lakewood Memorial Field to advance to the second round of the Class 5A state tournament.
“Winning in the first round is good and it’s a great confidence booster for us,” Columbine senior Kacie Laurie said. “We have been struggling with scoring a little bit this season, but now we are starting to get it going.”
Columbine (12-3-1 record) suffered back-to-back shutout losses to Valor Christian and Grandview last week. However, the Rebels put up eight goals against Green Mountain last Friday and continued to hit the back of the net in their postseason opener.
It took a little bit to really get Columbine’s offense to stretch out its lead. Senior Riley Kaali-Nagy got the scoring going in the 3rd minute and junior Andrea Iljkic rocketed a shot from the top of the goal box into the back of the net in the 24th minute to give Columbine a 2-0 lead.
However, that was all the scoring in the first half for Columbine.
“We felt at halftime we put on a really, really strong and dominate first half,” Columbine coach Brian Todd said. “We were dominating every phase of the game, just not cleaning things up in front of the goal.”
Columbine goalie Adelyn Todd had a couple of great saves early in the first half when Eaglecrest (7-6-1) was able to apply some pressure. The Rebels’ offense took over in the final 13 minutes scoring four goals.
“Our defense has been doing great all season,” said Laurie, who started the late-scoring barrage with her goal in the 67th minute. “Our offense needed to do something and we finally did.”
Thai Quallich knocked in a corner kick served by Katelyn Barnes in the 70th minute. Kaali-Nagy put in her second goal of the night in the 71st minute and sophomore Olivia Ashbrook finished off the scoring with a tally in the 79th minute.
“I think we were overthinking a lot in the first half,” Laurie admitted.
Columbine’s thoughts will turn to No. 22 ThunderRidge. The Grizzlies upset No. 11 Fruita Monument 2-0 on the Western Slope on Tuesday afternoon. The Rebels will host ThunderRidge on Friday, May 13, back at Lakewood Memorial Field.
“It is an advantage,” Todd said of the Rebels playing on the natural grass field at the historic Lakewood Memorial Field. “Everyone is playing on (artificial) turf fields these days. We have an old-school grass stadium where we are very comfortable on. It’s our home and we try to take advantage of it.”
It was a bit of a rough first round for most of the 5A Jeffco League. Ralston Valley, Chatfield and Arvada West all suffered 1-goal losses and Lakewood was shutout on the road against Legacy. No. 1 Valor was the only other 5A Jeffco team to advance to the second round. The Eagles defeated Rangeview 8-0.