(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
COLORADO SPRINGS — The third time was the charm for Athena Keuhn. The Pine Creek senior had two chances to score, possessing the ball right in front of the Ralston Valley net. But she came up empty handed both times.
The third time she didn’t miss.
And that third opportunity made all the difference as the Eagles beat the CHSAANow.com No. 9 Mustangs in non-league action at District 20 Stadium.
“I think we had some really great teamwork out there tonight,” Keuhn said. “We really build each other up and it was a really great test of how well we worked together.”
The early chances were certainly more plentiful for the Eagles (3-0 overall). They earned the first two corner kicks of the game and Athen Keuhn had a chance right in front of the Ralston Valley net, but the ball was knocked away by a defender before it could challenge keeper Mikeila Routsala.
About halfway through the first half, the Mustangs (3-2) finally got their best look of the game off a corner. Sarah Bevington crashed the net and had a chance to in front, but her shot sailed over the crossbar.
With little ground being given up by either team, the game looked destined to head into halftime scoreless, but Madeline Alhamra had other plans for Pine Creek. She found the ball on her foot to the left of the net and fired a shot across the body of Routsala, who couldn’t deflect it away.
The lead, however wouldn’t last for long. Just over a minute later Maddie DeHerrera connected on a deep shot for Ralston Valley, putting both teams back to square one to start the second half.
“It showed the heart that these kids have,” Ralston Valley coach Kamee Morwood said. “In seasons past we’ve gotten down and not had the oomph to get it back so for Maddie to hit that within a minute I think just shows our team that they’re a great team we’re playing against and we can play with anybody.”
The Eagles pressed the attack to start the final 40 and nearly hit pay dirt again 10 minutes in. A scramble in front of the net had the ball once again on Keuhn’s foot, but the shot was deflected, forcing the Eagles to regroup.
“One of the things about playing a team like Ralston Valley is anything can change in a minute,” Eagles coach John Frederick said. “I don’t played a team that put on that much pressure. They were running hard.”
The Mustangs were finally able to put the ball into the Pine Creek zone and after a deflection off an official, Ariana Castro was able to fire a shot at the Eagles net, but keeper Jade Odom was able to haul the ball in.
With 12 minutes, 17 seconds left in the game, a Mustang corner kick resulted in a scrum in front of the net, but the Eagles were able to clear it, leaving Ralston Valley empty-handed on their best chance in the half.
And missing that chance would come back to haunt the Mustangs. Keuhn finally connect on a chance, putting the ball in the net off yet another scramble resulting in a Pine Creek corner kick.
The win is a big one for the Eagles who will look to crack into the Class 5A rankings and then come back from spring break with a tough stretch of games against Chatfield and Cheyenne Mountain.
The win Thursday night helped, but it didn’t change the way the Eagles would have approached the upcoming games if the result had gone the other way.
“I think (the approach) would’ve been the same,” Keuhn said. “We would’ve just picked up in practice and kept going.”