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Force thrashes Highlanders
The Colorado Force used three second half goals to propel the team into the win column and to continue the misery of the expansion Victoria Highlanders.
The win pulls Colorado even for the season at 1-1 in the W-League, heading to a Thursday match against the unbeaten Pali Blues, 3-0-2. Pali holds a 2-1 victory over Victoria earlier this season. The Colorado-Pali match is set for 7 p.m. at Loveland Sports Park.
Sunday’s match in Loveland was played in temperatures that soared past 90 degrees, and unfolded slowly as the Force and Highlanders played to a scoreless halftime draw. But within minutes of the intermission, Colorado pressed the action.
In the 48th minute, Colorado earned a free kick just outside the penalty area when a Victoria defender brought down Force midfielder Alex Cousins.
Lisa Kosena Forbes slipped a pass laterally to Rebekah Patrick. Patrick rifled a shot from behind the 20-yard-line that slammed against the side of the goal frame and bounced in for a 1-0 Colorado lead.
Colorado added to the advantage in the 64th minute, when Danielle Birdsall beat her defender and took a shot on Victoria keeper Stephanie Parker. Parker deflected the ball, but Birdsall tracked down the rebound and scored.
The Force finished off the scoring in the 73rd minute when Lexi Tagen delivered a well-placed ball from the right side of the midfield to Carly Bolyard, who found the back of the net.
Force ‘keeper Hannah Clark made six saves.
Colorado outshot Victoria 19-9, including a 14-6 advantage in the second half. The Force also took six corner kicks to just one for the Highlanders.
Victoria fell to 0-7 with the loss and 0-2 on its road swing on the Front Range. Colorado will visit Victoria on July 13 as part of a three-match trip to the Pacific Northwest.
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