Coal Ridge plays to standoff with Vail

Wet weather challenges ball handling into OT

By Joelle Milholm
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
April 11, 2008

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PEACH VALLEY, Colorado — Just when it looked like Vail Mountain was going to leave Coal Ridge High School with a 1-0 victory on Thursday, Titan sophomore Sydney Wright struck for Coal Ridge to tie the game at one, 38 minutes into the second half.

After each team had its chances in overtime, the Class 3A Western Slope League battle ended in a tie in a game that went from sunny to snowy and everything in between.

“It was a nice combination of high tempo, aggressive and, I thought, good soccer. It was fun to watch,” said Vail Mountain head coach Bob Bandoni. “Both teams are probably feeling the same emotion right now, nobody wants to walk away with a tie, but I am proud of our girls.”

Wright’s goal came just as the Titans were running out of time in regulation. As Emily Johnson dribbled the ball and drew Vail Mountain’s defenders, Wright zoomed down the sideline where she got the leading pass from Johnson. After Wright faked out a Gore Ranger defender, she drove a line drive into the back of the net.

“My adrenaline was just pumping and it was the perfect shot after I faked that girl out,” Wright said. “I just nailed it and I was so thankful it went in.”

Coal Ridge fired off two shots in the first 45 seconds of the first OT, then got a direct kick from the corner in the closing seconds, but couldn’t capitalize on any of the chances.

After a scoreless first half, Vail Mountain got on the board first when Molly Etters scored 15 minutes in.

“We were just talking at half time about trying to get fast off of our foot and just shoot instead of trying to get the perfect touch and so all I thought about was getting it in as fast as I could and I did,” Etters said.

With snow dumping down and the temperature dropping, players started having more and more trouble with their footing. Instead of easy one-timers, both teams missed shots as the ball slipped off their feet, and many players ended up lying in the mud.

Toward the end of regulation, Coal Ridge started adjusting better to conditions and head coach Brian Blair admitted they were passing better. The Titans started creating chances and were putting lots of pressure on the Gore Ranger goal. That’s when Wright found the back of the net.

“I thought that at the end of the game we really started to play. We had the momentum,” Blair said. “It was a deserving goal, it wasn’t like we got pushed in our end all game and then got lucky. We started to build our offense.”

Outside of great defense by both teams, goalkeeping was also key in the game. Coal Ridge’s Tori Verdieck made 13 saves, including a diving deflection 15 minutes into the game. For Vail Mountain, Elsie Macsata made 11 saves, two of which came in OT.

“I thought both keepers played really well,” said Bandoni. “I thought it was a good representation of Class 3A high school soccer. I thought it was well played by both teams.”

Blair agreed and was very satisfied with the game.

“It was a good game. Both teams played really well,” Blair said. “I like playing Vail Mountain. They are always well-coached and respectful and it is always a good game.”

Coal Ridge moved to 2-0-2 in the WSL and 5-2-2 overall and will next host Basalt in makeup game at 4 p.m. on Monday.