(Dan Mohrmann/CHSAANow.com)
MANITOU SPRINGS — Ben Mack believes that putting together a tough schedule early in the season was going to have one of two things happen for his Manitou Springs Mustangs.
They were either going to break his players or it was going to make them stronger.
So if the Mustangs’ 1-0 win over Colorado Springs Christian School Tuesday night was any indication, his team is getting stronger.
Manitou (7-4 overall, 3-0 Class 3A Region 2) played a physical brand of soccer that really came to suit them in their 3-2 win over St. Mary’s on Apr. 15.
“I’ve been noticing that (parents) were commenting that we were the more physical team against St. Mary’s,” Mack said. “I started thinking about the game and now I’m seeing that trend start to come out in these closer games.”
The Mustangs were dominant with possession early and it was in the 26th minute of the game that they get their biggest.
Sophomore Brooklyn Mack was able to get in behind the Lions (7-3-1, 3-1) defense, forcing keeper Jessica Knedler out of the box.
Brooklyn was able to aim low and put the ball past Knedler to give the Mustangs the 1-0 lead.
“I knew if I took any more touches, she was going to slide at my feet,” she said. “I knew if I tried to to cut her back she still might be able to jump on it. So my only chance was to aim low and hard and it worked.”
Now battling from behind, the Lions were forced to adjust to the Mustangs’ style of play, which was not an ideal situation in a game that could eventually determine a league champion.
“This is a tough field to play on,” coach Jason Rollins said. “It’s narrow, they’re a physical team and it fit with their style.”
The Lions seemed to pick up the physicality in the second half, knowing they had to match the Mustangs if they were going to generate more scoring opportunities.
And in doing so, the Mustangs were also forced to pick up the intensity. That resulted in Meghann Root picking up a yellow card.
But the Lions still couldn’t capitalize on any opportunities or create a good scoring chance. Their best chance came with less than a minute left as Cobi Trempert set up for a corner kick. The kick looked good and was placed right in front of the Manitou net, but was headed out by Root and the Mustangs held on for the 1-0 win.
But Manitou will have virtually no time to rest as the team travels to Buena Vista Thursday before hosting Salida on Saturday to finish up league play.
“We have to jump right back on it,” Brooklyn Mack said. “Neither of these last two games are going to be easy and this was just the first step that we had to get past.”
The Lions are far from done in their hopes to win league. They travel to Salida on Thursday and a win would lock up no worse than a second-place finish.
“We have to get a good result against Salida,” Rollins said. “It’s in (Manitou’s) hands whether they finish against Salida and take (the league title) home.”