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Vail Mountain School soccer defeats Aspen, 2-1

Vail Mountain School's Sydney Sappenfield (8) shoots and scores against Aspen on Tuesday at Bandoni Alumni Field in East Vail. Sappenfield had the equalizer and Taylor Washing had the game-winning goal as the Gore Rangers beat the Skiers, 2-1.

EAST VAIL — The Vail Mountain School has rules.

There’s a dress code, and all students are also required to root for Boston sports teams, whether the soccer coach is Bob Bandoni or Ted O’Reilly.

There’s also the unwritten rule that VMS must beat Aspen in soccer.



Done and done.

VMS soccer recorded its first win of the season with a 2-1 decision over the Skiers on Tuesday at Bandoni Alumni Field.

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The Gore Rangers’ Taylor Washing scored the game-winner in spectacular fashion. Sydney Sappenfield threaded in a beautiful corner kick to the far post and Washing volleyed the ball out of the air for the picture-perfect goal.

As for Sappenfield, she struck earlier in the second half, erasing a 1-0 Aspen lead. The fresh-person jumped on a scramble in front of the net and beat the Skiers keeper for the equalizer.

VMS had the “luxury” of four substitutes on Tuesday, including the return of Hannah Hardenbergh and Annie Blakslee. However, the Gore Rangers continued their trend of slow starts. There is no truth to the rumor that VMS will insist on three 40-minute halves for future games.

“Maybe we’re going to try something different in warm-ups,” O’Reilly said. “We almost seem to play better when we’re tired.”

VMS’ stop-and-start season continues on April 17 at Vail Christian.

FRUITA

Fruita tops Devils lax

It’s tough slogging right now, but Eagle Valley boys lacrosse appears to be getting closer to that elusive first win of the season.

The Devils fell at Fruita Monument, 9-6, on Tuesday.

As for the particulars, Johnny Bailey had a hat trick, and Riley Nestlerode, Jared Salaz and Mike Ramunno scored.

Good sign No. 1 was that the Devils stayed out of the sin bin on Tuesday much better than they did in Saturday’s loss in Telluride. Coach Ted Boddy attributed that parade of whistles to the fact that his squad was playing its third game of the week and also had to contend with the long trip on Saturday.

“We had a very good practice (Monday), focusing on the basics,” Boddy said. “We came into today with a simple game plan and we were competitive. We were fighting back and getting within one or two goals several times.”

The Devils (0-8) hope to end the skid on Friday against Durango at 4 p.m. at the Gypsum Sports Complex.

“We’ve been focusing a lot on just making sure that when we have opportunities, we make them quality opportunities, taking good shots, not hurried ones,” Boddy said. “We understand that patience on offense is really going to be key.”

Sports Editor Chris Freud can be reached at 970-748-2934, cfreud@vaildaily.com and @cfreud.


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