Gilbert, Johnson spark 14-7 win

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sport Information Director
 Mullen beats Palmer Ridge.
Having not taken part in any lacrosse activity outside for more than a week and competing in its first game in 11 days, Mullen somehow managed to improve in its home opener.

The Mustangs moved to 2-0 with a sound 14-7 decision of visiting Palmer Ridge of Monument on Tuesday in nonleague play at Brother Bernard Kinneavy Field at De La Salle Stadium.

Check the facts – the Mustangs hadn’t been on an outside field since before last week’s interesting blizzard and their previous match was on March 8.

Colorado prep sports in the spring … is there anything like them?

In noting the usual hardships, second-year Mustangs head coach Melynda Brown welcomed the first time her team had activity on their regular surface and that “you can tell we had some great passing, some great movement, some awesome stuff by Izzy (Cisneros, Mullen goalie), and some amazing feeds, which is my favorite thing. All in all, we got better from our Golden game.”

Senior Emerson Johnson, one of two Mustangs with four goals in the game, concurred.

“We’re looking pretty good,” she said. “We have a real good solid line of players and we gained a lot of good players this year. We still need a lot of work, but we work as a team and need to continue to work on the little things.”

Mullen pulled away in the first half against the Bears (2-1), who had seven consecutive winning seasons before going 8-8 in 2018. After a back-and-forth exchange of goals early, Johnson and sophomore Molly Gilbert, who also scored four times, al in the first haf, led the way to a9-4 halftime advantage. They had help – sophomores Elise Bialecki and Olivia Moreno each scored twice, and the Mustangs also received goals from senior Grace Archibald and freshman Haley Vanek.

Archibald and Johnson each had two assists and Bialecki contributed one.

Cisneros recorded seven saves.

“We still have a way to go before ee face our top-10 schedule,” Brown said.

But it won’t be long – the Mustangs will welcome Chatfield on Friday, March 22; visit California over spring break to meet San Diego’s Canyon Crest Academy, March 27, and Cathedral Catholic, March 29; then return for biggies at Colorado Academy, April 1; home against Cherry Creek, April 4; and at Denver East, April 8.
 
MULLEN 14, PALMER RIDGE 7
Palmer Ridge  4  3  --  7
Mullen   9   5  --  14
Mullen goals – Molly Gilbert 4, Emerson Johnson 4, Elize Bialcki 2, Olivia Moreno 2, Grace Archibald, Haley Vanek.
Mullen assists – Grace Archibald 2, Emerson Johnson 2, Elise Bialecki.
 
Back