Blazer girls fall 1-0 to Rawlins

Erick Starkey
Posted 3/22/17

The Torrington Lady Trailblazers fell in their season opener to Rawlins at home, 1-0, on a late goal on Saturday.

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Blazer girls fall 1-0 to Rawlins

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TORRINGTON – The Torrington Lady Trailblazers fell in their season opener to Rawlins at home, 1-0, on a late goal on Saturday.
“We looked good. We possessed the ball well and had a decent shape moving into the attacking third of the pitch,” coach Travis Rapp said. “I was proud of the girls. They are fighters and one tough group of ladies.”
The Lady Blazers and Lady Outlaws had a stalemate after the first half, Torrington had several chances at a goal, but could not put the ball through the pipes.
“I think if we get at least one of those goals early, then we would have finished that game on top, maybe shut them out,” Rapp said.

Lae in the game, the Lady Blazers switched to a three-forward system to try and get more chances in the attacking third, but they could not convert. Rawlins knocked in a goal with less than seven minutes on the clock to secure the win.
Shelby Schainost recorded nine saves between the pipes after only a week of practice. Torrington’s starting goalie for the season suffered an injury in practice so Schainost was thrust into action on Saturday.
“Rawlins was a young team last year and graduated hardly anyone, where we are starting completely over at goalie and lost our top-five goal scorers, so we performed well,” Rapp said. “Schainost played well in goal with only a week to prepare.”
Rapp noted the efforts of Lilly Tavares as sweeper, Abbi Mitchell and Halee Lulow in the midfield and Jaci Racine in any position she took the field for.
The Torrington JV team went on to beat the Rawlins’ JV team following the varsity game.
“I was impressed by all of our girls,” Rapp said. “The fact that we went and beat the JV team afterwards only playing 8 vs. 11 after that varsity game shows the guts, grit and dedication these ladies have to the game and their program.”
The Lady Blazers return to the pitch against Scottsbluff, Neb. on Thursday. Torrington hosts the Lady Tigers at 5 p.m. at Wiseman Field. The Lady Blazers also host Lander Valley at 3 p.m. on Friday.
“Only having a varsity game Thursday will allow me to rest a few legs a little more that night and get some reserves a little extra minutes for their growth so we are fresh for the Lander game the next day,” Rapp said. That’s a must win game if we want to win our quadrant. I wouldn’t say we are looking past Scottsbluff in any way, but we will be using that game to prepare for Lander.”