No. 2 Fossil Ridge girls soccer wins 5A playoff opener behind pair of Abby Ballek goals
The score was closer than the seedings might have suggested, but there was no mistaking who the favorite in this game was.
Fossil Ridge — the No. 2 seed in the high school girls soccer Class 5A playoffs — dominated from the start against No. 31 Denver South and prevailed Tuesday night with a 2-0 home win.
The SaberCats (12-1-2) had to hold their nerve late as they nursed a one-goal lead but Fossil Ridge was strong defensively and added an insurance goal in the final minutes.
Fossil Ridge will wish it had buried the game earlier. Abby Ballek scored from a tight angle 23 minutes in and the SaberCats were carrying the play, but they couldn't find a second.
The hosts hit the crossbar three times and put 11 shots on goal but weren't clinical, and it wasn't until Ballek scored again with less than 2 minutes left that the game was sealed. Her second came when she pushed home a rebound off a vicious Lily Wale shot.
That first-round match quickly goes into the rearview mirror, though, for a team with potential title aspirations.
Up next is a second-round home game at 6 p.m. Friday, May 10. Fossil Ridge will host No. 18 Chaparral. Chaparral upset No. 15 Arapahoe in the first round when the teams tied 0-0 and Chaparral advanced on penalties.
Rocky Mountain bows out in first-round home loss
There's added pressure in the playoffs.
No. 14 Rocky Mountain felt an extra dose of that postseason weight, falling behind early and dropping a 2-1 first-round match to No. 19 Columbine on Tuesday evening at French Field.
"Our urgency just wasn’t there in the first half," Rocky coach Shane Wagner said. "They got an early goal and we kind of dropped our heads. That’s the frustrating part, because it’s uncharacteristic for us."
The Rebels (9-5-1) went ahead in the 11th minute on Samantha Carter's breakaway goal, aided by Abbi Giedt's excellent through ball.
The Lobos (8-5-2) were pressing for a while and finally found an equalizer. Senior Ali Warner drilled a superb free kick from just outside the penalty box that beat the Columbine keeper in the upper third with 27 minutes remaining.
"I was so pumped for Ali," Wagner said. "She always stays late to work on free kicks since she’s our specialist. It was great to see her get one in her final match."
The tie was short-lived, as Columbine's Maddie Wallner (off another excellent pass from Giedt) beat one Lobos defender and then the Rocky goalie from short range for the winner.
Several final pushes yielded nothing, ending Rocky's season early in the 5A playoffs.
The moment sunk in afterward for a great senior class, which made two 5A quarterfinals and won five total playoff matches.
"It’s an amazing bunch of seniors and I couldn’t be prouder of them," Wagner said. "Unbelievable group of girls. The result just didn’t go our way this year."
Fort Collins, Poudre fall on road
No. 25 Fort Collins played it tough but couldn't quite get past No. 8 Pine Creek on the road, ending its season with a 3-2 first-round defeat in the 5A playoffs.
The Lambkins (6-6-4) trailed 1-0 at halftime but briefly tied it up in the second half.
Then the Eagles (11-2-2) scored a pair of goals in quick second-half succession to take a 3-1 advantage. It was a necessary cushion, because Fort Collins got a goal back and had some late chances to tie it up.
No. 30 Poudre (9-6-1) made No. 3 Rock Canyon work for everything. The Impalas held the hosts scoreless in the first half and were down just a goal until very late when Rock Canyon pulled away for a 3-0 win.
No further stats were immediately available for the games.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado girls soccer: Fossil Ridge beats Denver South to open 5A playoffs
