Green Mountain girls soccer blanks Longmont in playoff opener
ARVADA — Will Green Mountain ever allow a goal on the soccer pitch?
It’s a valid question after the Rams recorded their eighth straight shutout Wednesday night with a 2-0 victory against Longmont in the opening round of the Class 4A girls’ soccer state tournament.
“That back four is good. They have been doing a great job and of course you have Lindsey (Hendon) back there,” Green Mountain coach Ken Fehr said of his back four defenders of Kelli Van Tassel, Danielle Lord, MacKenzie Schaller and Cassie Allen, along with senior goalie Lindsey Hendon.
The last goal No. 12-seeded Green Mountain (13-2-1) surrendered came back on April 2 in a 1-0 loss to eventual 4A Jeffco League champion Wheat Ridge. Hendon extended her Colorado state record of career shutouts to 41 on Wednesday in making three saves against the Trojans.
“It means a lot,” Hendon said of her shutouts. “I’ve had my teammates in front of me the whole time. It’s a team effort.”
Offensively, Green Mountain broke a scoreless tie late in the first half at the North Area Athletic Complex on Wednesday night. Junior Mia Dobbin was able to knock in the first goal in the 35th minute off a corner kick from senior Christina Makatura.
“At first I thought it was going to be a header, but it ended up being kind of a thigh/knee sort of a thing,” Dobbin said of her goal. “It went it. It was good effort from all of us.”
The Rams outshot No. 21-seeded Longmont 15 to 3 in the first-round game. However, Green Mountain wasn’t able to get its second goal until junior Jenn Brunsdon beat Longmont senior goalie Maria Romo with a hard shot in the 78th minute.
“A lot of opportunities means you are going to get a goal sooner or later,” Dobbin said. “I’m just glad we got those shots off.”
Fehr had the same theory that the Rams would eventually get a little breathing room against the Trojans.
“The pressure was good. We were pressuring them really hard,” Fehr said. “I knew something would eventually come. We had some good opportunities.”
Longmont closes it season with a 9-6-1 record. All six of the Trojans’ loss and their lone tie all came in games that Longmont’s offense was shut out.
“Green Mountain has an outstanding team,” Longmont coach Mike DiGiallonardo said. “Defense and offense wise they are very disciplined.”
The Rams move into the second round where it will travel to No. 5-seeded Niwot on Saturday. The Cougars (13-3) handled Pueblo South in their postseason opener with a 5-0 victory Wednesday.
Green Mountain is hoping it can ride its strong defense make a return to the 4A championship game. The Rams lost the title game in 2012 to Air Academy.
“We aren’t going to give up a cheap goal,” Fehr said. “Teams are going to have to earn it.”
