Halftime was a reset for Colorado Springs Christian on Tuesday.
Trailing by a objective within the Class 2A women’ soccer state championship, the Lions determined to not dwell on what simply occurred: Fountain Valley College scored the sport’s opening objective with lower than a minute remaining within the first half.
As an alternative, they did what any staff does on a damp, 70-degree day — took a breath.
“We simply wanted to play our recreation,” CSCS coach Jason Rollins stated. “I feel the second acquired to us slightly bit and we simply wanted to cool down slightly bit.”
That reset paid off.
The Colorado Springs Christian Lions women’ soccer staff celebrates at midfield after beating the Fountain Valley Danes within the Colorado State 2A championship lady’s soccer recreation on Tuesday at Dick’s Sporting Items Park in Commerce Metropolis.
CSCS scored the equalizer lower than three minutes into the second half. The Lions scored two extra objectives after that, clinching a 3-1 win and the primary state title in program historical past.
“Our confidence in one another actually confirmed within the second half,” senior Ella Salsbery stated. “We had been like, ‘We actually need to work.’”
CSCS held the ball on its facet of the sector greater than FVS within the first half, however that didn’t matter. Fountain Valley’s Brittyn Lybecker performed an extended move and shot previous Lions goalkeeper Aubrey Salsbery for a 1-0 lead.
It was a disappointing blow after the Lions outplayed the Danes for many of the half. Nevertheless it additionally gave them hope heading into the second half.
Cristina Huerta discovered house on the proper facet, maneuvered previous a FVS defender and scored rapidly into the half.
Then, Ella Salsbery despatched a strike from the 18-yard mark, giving CSCS its first lead. The Lions by no means gave it up, as Wilna Colopy made it a 3-1 recreation minutes later.
As soon as CSCS acquired on the board, the strain was off, and rushes got here simpler.
Colorado Springs Christian senior midfielder Wilna Colopy (11) celebrates with sophomore ahead Cristina Huerta (13) after Huerta scored in opposition to the Fountain Valley Danes throughout a Colorado State 2A championship lady’s soccer recreation on Tuesday at Dick’s Sporting Items Park in Commerce Metropolis.
“We had been like, ‘We’re on this once more,” Ella Salsbery stated. “The adrenaline kicked in once more, and that helped us get again out.”
Rollins added, “When it comes right down to this second, it’s who’s going to place within the struggle? Who’s going to dig deep and discover what’s left in them?”
Fountain Valley had only a few scoring possibilities within the second half.
After Lybecker’s objective, the Lions keyed in on the freshman. CSCS put a number of defenders on her at a time, stopping her from getting house.
“We simply put a pair gamers on her and blocked the angles,” Ella Salsbery stated. “The adrenaline and the aggression got here again after that first objective, so our defenders had been hungry.”
This yr is Rollins’ tenth as the women’ soccer coach at CSCS. He made historical past on the decade mark of his tenure.
Much more particular? He did it alongside his daughters, Liana and Jordyn Rollins, who each play on the staff.
“To have a senior daughter and a freshman daughter right here to expertise this with me is fairly particular,” Rollins stated.
It’s simply as particular for each participant on the staff — particularly the upperclassmen. Salsbery and the staff’s different 5 seniors — Katie Geertsema, Olivia Baker, Sofia McGrath, Kassidy Gray and Rollins — ended their highschool careers with a championship.
“We simply made historical past at this college,” Ella Salsbery stated. “As a senior, I couldn’t ask for a greater method to finish my season and my highschool profession. It feels wonderful.”
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