Tuesday Roundup: Season D opens

By Neil H. Devlin, Mullen Sports Information Director
'Stangs fall in girls soccer to 5A power Grandview; girls tennis edges Arapahoe 4-3 as final season of 2020-21 begins.
 
It was the season opener, so why not make it big?

Mullen did on Tuesday night in the new Season D with a 2-0 loss to host and perennial power Grandview at Legacy Stadium in Aurora in Centennial League play.

The Wolves have won four of the past five Class 5A championships as well as a whopping 83 matches over the span, so the 4A Mustangs couldn’t have started 2021 against a tougher foe.

“Yes, and I thought we had some good sessions,” Mustangs head coach Matthew Guglielmo said, “we had a good plan, we followed it … not to let them score, of course, but we played staunch defense.”

Grandview missed an open net in the 63rd minute, but broke the ice 2 minutes later on a crisp, 30-yard shot and put it away 8 minutes later with another crack effort.

“They were deserved goals,” Guglielmo said. “(The Wolves) had more possessions and when opponents possess that much in your third for 70 percent of the game, they’ll end up scoring.”

The coach cited sophomore keeper Olivia Incitti, Anna Seaman, Zoe Polzin, Lizzy Marcoux, Brooke Ellis and Jill Kulbacki for their play, adding “the defense played great, lots of players got minutes and I’m happy with the way we performed.”

Mullen will resume action on Thursday, May 6, in its home opener, against Cherry Creek, 4:30 p.m.
 
GRANDVIEW 2, MULLEN 0
Mullen  0   0  --  0
Grandview  0   2  --  2
 

GIRLS TENNIS

MULLEN 4, ARAPAHOE 3

At Pinehurst Country Club and a day after their opener (at Cherry Creek) was postponed, Mullen opened the new Season D with a 4-3 victory over Arapahoe in a Centennial League dual.

Mullen won two of the three singles matches and split the four in doubles.

Lauren Manwiller (No. 1) and Alexia Yost (No. 2) won in straight sets in singles.

Aubryanne Leugers-Madeline Crites (No. 3) and Clara Dailey-Renee Hoyt (No. 4) won in straight sets in doubles.

Even with all of the changes and difficulties accompanying the start of the new Season D, Mustangs head coach Jera Sturgell said she was pleased to get going and applauded the first effort.

The Mustangs will be back at it on Thursday, May 6, when they travel to Littleton to take on Columbine at Marker Park in nonleague, 3:30 p.m.

RESULTS

No. 1 singles – Lauren Manwiller, Mullen
def. Julia Rydel 6-4, 7-5.

No. 2 singles – Alexia Yost, Mullen
def. Ashley Attai 6-4, 6-0.

No. 3 singles –
Margaux Dufrene, Arapahoe def. Marin Smith 6-2, 6-4.

No. 1 doubles –
Marisa Williams-Grace Franzen, Arapahoe def. Brooklyn Hanley-Parker Durand 6-3, 6-4.

No. 2 doubles –
Addie Gonzales-Eila Nichols, Arapahoe def. Izzy Desjardins-Tierney Scanlan 7-6, 7-5.

No. 3 doubles – Aubryanne Leugers-Madeline Crites, Mullen
def. Ali Taliaferro-Aliya Fiske 6-2, 6-1.

No. 4 doubles – Clara Dailey-Renee Hoyt, Mullen
def. Kate Plisko-Maddie Malcolm 6-2, 6-4.
  
 
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