The Steamboat Springs girls soccer team was proud to learn last weekend that they would host a first round playoff game. It’s something this varsity group hadn’t done, and they capitalized on the moment. 

The No. 16 Sailors welcomed No. 17 Englewood to Gardner Field on Thursday for the first round of the Class 3A playoffs. Steamboat dominated from start to finish, advancing to round two after a 5-0 victory. 

Roughly 20 minutes into the first half, senior Olivia Golaszewski was first to put the Sailors on the board off a deep pass from Talyn Anderson. Golaszewski managed to stay onside and was left wide open for an easy score around the oncoming goalkeeper. 

“I saw Talyn take the ball and start dribbling. She has the leg and I was open. I kept making that run and as soon as I saw the keeper coming, I was quaking in my boots for a quick second, but I saw her go slightly to her left so I played it to the other side of her,” Golaszewski said. 

A flurry of shot attempts later and it was junior Brynn Rose next to find the back of the net. She ripped a line drive which was initially deflected by the goalie; but the ball kept its forward momentum off the deflection, slowly trickling into the net for a 2-0 Sailors lead at half. 

Like the ball, the Sailors too kept their momentum into the second half. Hailey Bender netted two shots with Anderson wrapping up the scoring on a snipe to the top-right corner of the goal in the final minutes. 

After the game, Golaszewski said it was a bittersweet moment having won what may be the last home game for the senior group. 

“We’ve played together since our jerseys hung way past our knees,” she said. “We all just ran to the ball with no intention of where we were kicking it or what we were doing… I’m stoked we got our result, the best part was the energy we brought, the celebration was the best part of it.” 

Next up for the Sailors is playoff round two where the girls are pinned against No. 1 ranked Colorado Academy at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Denver. 

The girls are well aware of the challenge ahead, but know they have the elements to take on any opponent. 

“We feel really good about the competitive non-league schedule we had this year,” head coach Rob Bohlmann said. “We played some really strong opponents. We know this is a fantastic opponent and we know it’s a great opportunity to see how high we can take ourselves.”