Titans girls’ soccer enters state tournament as fourth seed

Host first round game Saturday, May 10 at 3 p.m.

By Than Acuff

After tying one of the top teams in 2A 1-1 and then finishing out the regular season against 4A program Montrose, the Crested Butte Titans girls’ soccer team finished 8-4-3 and enters the 2A state tournament ranked fourth and will host their first two games of the post season.

The coaches had the regular season mapped out accordingly, looking to close it out with a showdown against 2A standout Colorado Springs Christian and then finish against Montrose. When they faced the Colorado Springs Christian Lions last week, the Lions came in the top-seeded 2A team, and the Titans battled them to a 1-1 tie.

“I felt we were unlucky to not win, the girls played great,” says head coach Tom Lewis.

Crested Butte then remained at home to host the Montrose Red Hawks on Friday, May 2 to finish the regular season off with one last tough test.

“It’s a good opportunity for us to test ourselves against a very good 4A team and see what level we’re at right before playoffs,” says Lewis.

The Red Hawks threatened early, pressuring the Titans to create a couple scoring chances, but their shots missed the mark and once Crested Butte settled in, the two teams were battling through the midfield almost the entire half with random chances on net opening for each team but neither team finding the finishing touch.

Montrose eventually broke the seal on the Titans’ net 34 minutes into the game when their top player drove down the flank and fed a teammate open at the top of the six-yard box for a goal and a 1-0 Red Hawks lead.

Crested Butte responded accordingly to generate additional chances as Brie Polster fed Molly Miller for a shot, but Miller’s strike was deflected from harm’s way. Minutes later, Cecilia Naughton drove a shot from 30 yards that flew just over the crossbar. Unfortunately, Montrose got a break in the final two minutes of the half on a corner kick when a clearing kick by the Titans hit off a Montrose player and into the Crested Butte net for a 2-0 Montrose lead at halftime.

“The girls believed we could get right back into it,” says Lewis.

The Titans suffered another blow as the Red Hawks tacked on a third goal nine minutes into the second half, but Crested Butte remained resilient committed to creating attacks off possession. Their diligence paid off as Calla Fenlon was fouled just outside the 18-yard box and buried the direct kick with 29 minutes left.

“There was a belief that we could get back into it and score two more goals,” says Lewis.

Crested Butte continued to push on Montrose looking for that next key goal to spark a final comeback. They came close when a shot hit off the Montrose goalpost with 10 minutes left but the Red Hawks held on for the 3-1 win.

“I firmly believe if we scored that goal, we would have scored a third and tied it up,” says Lewis. “Montrose defended well but we missed opportunities.”

The Titans enter the 2A tournament the fourth seed and will host either Gilpin County or Fountain Valley at Katy O. Rady Field on the Western campus on Saturday, May 10 at 3 p.m. A win there will send the Titans to the quarterfinals, which they will host again, on Wednesday, May 14, time to be determined.

“I’m happy with our position,” says Lewis. “I think we’re building well, and fitness-wise we’re all good. We just need to focus and put the work in.”