D’Evelyn girls soccer edges Lakewood

LAKEWOOD — Freshman Lakshmi Lagarda and sophomore Piper McSkimin provided the goals for D’Evelyn’s girls soccer team Monday night at a rainy Lakewood Memorial Field.

The Jaguars took a 2-1 victory over Lakewood before starting their Class 4A Jeffco League play later this week. D’Evelyn hits to road to face Littleton on Friday, April 5.

“I’m just really happy that our team was able to pull together and play around each other,” D’Evelyn senior captain Megan Schonberger said. “We worked as a team to get the win.”

Lakewood (1-3 record) had a couple of good scoring chances on D’Evelyn senior goalie Lexi Ornstein in the opening minutes of the first half, but Ornstein was solid between the pipes to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.

Ornstein and Schonberger — three-year starters — are two key seniors this season for the Jaguars that has nine seniors, along with a new coach in Aaron Manahan.

“Me coming in new to the program, the girls have taken what I’ve asked of them,” Manahan said after the second win of the season for the Jaguars. “We are a completely different team this year. I’m very happy with the result today.”

D’Evelyn had a rough 1-4 start to the season last year before rebounding with a 4-3-1 record in conference play, but still missed the postseason. The Jaguars are off to a 2-2 record this season with wins over The Academy and Lakewood.

Lagarda gave the Jaguars the lead with a low shot that found the back of the net in the 26th minute to give D’Evelyn a 1-0 lead at halftime. McSkimin headed in a corner kick in the 68th minute to make it a 2-goal lead.

“So far they have done a good job stepping up,” Schonberger said of the multiple underclassmen that have contributed early in the season. “The seniors and juniors have really welcomed them in. I think they feel settled and are doing really well.”

Lakewood did make things interesting answering McSkimin’s goal a minute later when sophomore Grace White’s header got past Ornstein to cut the lead to 2-1. The Tigers had a few chances in the final minute to get a shot on Ornstein, but D’Evelyn was able to hang on for the victory.

“Lexi, Megan and our whole backline are a huge part,” Manahan said. “We have a lot of great senior leaders as well. It should give us good things moving forward.”