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Freshmen pace Demons to victory

G. Sean Kelly
GSPI Sports Editor
Post Independent Photo/Kelley CoxGlenwood Springs High School's Abby Willman, top, and Rifle goalie Kadie LaRocque collide in front of the Rifle goal during their game Tuesday afternoon at Stubler Memorial Field. Glenwood won the rivalry match 5-2.
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Speed kills, and the Demons used it to perfection Thursday to shoot down Rifle.

Freshmen speedsters Corrina Gibson and Karlie Andreas each tallied two goals and one assist as Glenwood Springs downed the Bears 5-2 in Class 4A Western Slope League girls soccer action at Stubler Memorial Field.

“Everything was a through ball. They attacked with speed and had a lot of jump,” said Rifle coach Tom Taucher of the Demons. “They were the better team today and the better team won.”



While the Glenwood freshmen supplied the scoring punch, senior Heidi Wild took advantage of what is likely her final contest against archrival Rifle. The sweeper dominated in the Glenwood defensive end and snuffed out most of the Bears chances before they even got started.

“We wanted to win. We really did,” Wild said.



“We had a lot of problems the last couple of weeks and we really wanted to play together,” she added, referring to having lost players due to injuries or dropping out of the program recently.

And, of course, the speed up front made her job a bit easier.

“It’s so nice to know if you get in trouble you can just kick the ball up and somebody will get it,” Wild said.

The contest featured the typical physical play, with a number of player collisions and tackles. But, as far as scoring, it was the polar opposite to this season’s previous meeting in Rifle that ended in a scoreless tie.

“It would have been nice to get those two (goals) at home,” joked Taucher.

Glenwood created scoring opportunities from the outset, forcing Rifle’s standout freshman goalkeeper Kadie LaRocque to make six saves in the first 14 minutes of the game.

“We came out and, from the beginning, started pounding their goal,” Glenwood coach Linda Loman said.

It paid off in the 15th minute when Gibson tipped a ball past the Rifle defender and blazed in for a breakaway goal and a 1-0 lead.

Glenwood continued to control the tempo, pelting LaRocque with 11 shots in the first half, and took a 2-0 lead in the 33rd minute.

Gibson took advantage of some miscommunication in the Bears backfield and fed a cross to Andreas who snuck the ball by LaRocque after the keeper made the initial save.

Andreas returned the favor two minutes into the second half. Andreas collided with LaRocque when the two were chasing a loose ball and it squirted over to Gibson for a 3-0 advantage.

Brenda Cruz led a Bears rally, scoring in the 55th minute and feeding Tess Flanagan for a breakaway goal 13 minutes later, but Rifle couldn’t complete the rally.

“Brenda Cruz was fabulous,” Taucher said. “We had a couple players (playing well) but couldn’t get the whole group.”

Wild sent Andreas on a breakaway for the freshman’s second goal of the game with 12 minutes left to seal the contest.

After a collision between Glenwood’s Abby Willman and LaRocque sent both players to the sideline, Glenwood sophomore Theresa Tonozzi lofted a shot over backup keeper Keri Bornschlegel for the 5-2 final.

Glenwood outshot the Bears 19-7 in the contest.

The victory keeps the Demons in the playoff hunt, battling Rifle for the third and final spot.

The Bears are currently 6-4-1 in the WSL (6-6-1 overall), trailing Steamboat Springs (9-0) and Battle Mountain (6-1). Rifle wraps up its season with a home game against Battle Mountain on Saturday.

The Demons improve to 4-4-1 (4-6-1) and have three league games remaining. Glenwood hosts Palisade Saturday at 11 a.m.


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