Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Springs girls lacrosse team had trouble containing Golden's offense, falling 10-4 in its home opener.

Ashley Johnson and Amy Nielson combined to score eight of Golden's goals, circling around and running through Steamboat's defenders to find the back of the net at a Colorado Mountain College field.

"I feel we were evenly matched, but sometimes scores don't always reflect that in lacrosse," Steamboat coach Sarah James said. "I don't think either team controlled the ball. They just had a few good players that slammed our defense."

The Sailors got off to a strong start when Lauren Weaver picked up the ball just 2 minutes into the half and ran straight for the goal, firing one past the Golden goalie.

Steamboat held the lead for about 10 minutes before Johnson scored one of her five goals of the afternoon.

Several minutes later, the Demons took a lead and continued to build on it throughout the first half, extending it to five goals by halftime.

During the short break, James and assistant Katie Howell tried to rally the squad.

"They told us to just pick it up and hustle to the ball," Rachel Ryan said.

Golden scored the first three goals of the second half, but Steamboat rallied back to score the next two off shots from Ryan and Leah Stettner.

A defensive lapse on the Sailors' end of the field allowed Nielson to run untouched toward Steamboat goalie Carlie Adamo.

Nielson scored Golden's final goal with less than 3 minutes left in the game.

Ryan snuck another goal in for the Sailors off an assist from Stettner to bring the final to 10-4.

In Steamboat's recent games, close losses to Columbine and Dakota Ridge, the intensity was higher, James said, so she was uncertain as to why the Sailors slacked at times against the Demons on Thursday.

The distractions of the first home game of the season could have been partly to blame, she said.

Steamboat has a chance to play at a higher level today when it hosts two games at the CMC field, welcoming Rangeview at 1 p.m. and Grandview at 3 p.m.

--To reach Melinda Mawdsley call 871-4208

or e-mail mmawdsley@steamboatpilot.com