LAFAYETTE — With a 4-0 victory at Dawson School on Friday, the Loveland Classical girls soccer team clinched its fourth straight 10-win season.
With one game remaining before the playoffs begin, the Lions are looking forward to the postseason and defending the Class 2A state championship they won a year ago.
With its third win in a row in the series against Dawson, LCS improved to 10-2-1 overall and extended its current undefeated streak to nine. The Lions have gone 8-0-1 in those nine contests, which include a forfeit victory over William Smith, dating back to a 5-3 loss to top-ranked Crested Butte on March 28.
They have has outscored their past eight opponents 61-2. Those two goals came in a 2-2 draw against No. 3 SkyView Academy last week.
Despite windy conditions that frustrated both teams for 80 minutes Friday, the Lions took advantage of their opportunities offensively and relied on a defense that has only allowed nine goals all season, five of which came against Crested Butte, against the Mustangs.
“It was really difficult,” LCS junior midfielder Gracie Saxton said of the conditions. “It definitely made it hard to shoot, but I think we figured out that we had to aim lower and that worked on one of them. We got a couple more shots, but it was kind of frustrating.”
Saxton scored the Lions’ first goal of the game, and it was the only goal scored in the first half as LCS took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
They found more success in the second half.
Senior striker/midfielder Kaelyn Doan scored the Lions’ second goal of the game on a penalty kick five minutes into the second half. She added her second of the game with 12:32 left in the contest to give the Lions a 3-0 lead.
The final goal for LCS came with just over eight minutes remaining, when leading scorer senior striker/forward Abby Ruppert found the back of the net to make it 4-0. The Lions had multiple shots go high or wide due to the wind, or their goal count could have been much higher.
“It was really challenging,” Doan said. “Our defense and our sixes like to play three balls in the air a lot, and we had to figure out how to do that with the wind today. We had to find a lot of on-the-ground passing, which we do in the midfield, but we like those through balls a lot.
“I think in the second half we did a lot better combining. This is one of the best passing games we’ve had in a while, so I’m really proud of that.”
All of the Lions’ wins this season have come by shutout. The only games they allowed a goal or more in were the ones they lost or tied.
Senior goalkeeper Keira Doan, Kaelyn’s twin sister, has been masterful in the net with a goals against average around one.
The Lions will face Class 4A Mullen on Monday to conclude their regular season and then wait until the following Monday to learn their playoff fate.
After its win against Dawson, LCS moved up to No. 6 in the Class 2A Selection & Seeding Index. If the Lions stay in the top eight, they will get a first-round bye and play a second-round game at home. They were the No. 6 seed last year as well.
The Lions are ready to make a run at a second consecutive state championship after winning the first title in program history, and first in any sport at LCS a year ago. But they know not to get ahead of themselves.
“I think we need to be cautious,” Kaelyn Doan said. “I don’t want last year’s win to get in our heads. I feel like we need to be cautious and we just need to play our game. We can pass and we can connect really well and that’s our strength.
“I think we’re on the same level we were last year. I think we’re a lot closer as a team. We all have that goal in mind to do a repeat, and I think that’s what’s driving us. We’re working really hard. A lot of my teammates are stepping up and I’m really proud of that.”
Red Wolves make history with win over Fort Collins
Friday night, as Loveland celebrated its senior class, the Red Wolves accomplished a feat they never had before.
With a 1-0 win over the Lambkins, Loveland defeated Fort Collins for the first time in program history. Abigail Machado scored the only goal of the game.
Loveland improved to 7-6 overall with two games remaining and are currently ranked 34th in the Class 5A Selection & Seeding Index. The top 32 teams make the playoffs.
Spartans on brink of ending long playoff drought
Berthoud made some history of its own Friday night.
With a 6-3 victory at Mountain Range, the Spartans improved to 8-3-1. The eight wins are the most in a season for the team since at least 2008.
Abigail Rogers and Madison Ott each scored twice for the Spartans. Aubrey Clopper and Lydia Okiyama each had one.
The Spartans are currently ranked No. 14 in the Class 3A Selection & Seeding Index. Berthoud could not only end a playoff drought that dates back to their last postseason appearance in 2006, but the Spartans could get a first-round home game.
