No. 1 Colorado Academy riding 50-game unbeaten streak into dynasty

The last time Colorado Academy’s field hockey team lost Tim Tebow was the Broncos’ quarterback.

After defeating Golden 4-0 in the state quarterfinals last Friday, the No. 1-seeded Mustangs (15-0) have gone 50 consecutive games — including 39 straight victories — without suffering a loss. In that span, which began with the first game of the 2012 season, they have compiled a record of 48-0-2.

“It would be disappointing if we lost, but we go into each game playing our hardest,” senior midfielder Jillian Christensen said. “… We never pay attention to the winning streak. People talk about it, but we don’t focus on that.”

The team hasn’t missed a beat despite entering the season with a new coach in former pro player Veronica Scott and an inexperienced defense after most of the back line graduated in the spring. But with the state’s most-potent offense (5.3 goals) and second-best defense (0.5 goals allowed) statistically, the two-time defending champion Mustangs are two wins away from making it a three-peat.

“We said very early in the season that we wanted to win again. We’re shooting toward that,” senior defender Caroline Reisch said.

Scott, who’s from Australia, took over the program when former coach Daan Polders stepped down to take a job in Philadelphia. After years of playing in Belgium and then working as a volunteer coach with Wake Forest, Scott said she wanted to work on the high school level and help grow the sport.

“From the high school level, we can really build, so by the time kids get to college, the college coaches have something to work with,” the first-year coach said, “and really go on the tactical side of things, explore different options and get the game to a higher level.”

Scott inherited an Academy team that returned its top four goal scorers in junior Maddie Webster and seniors Henley Hall, Julia Murphy — the 2012 Denver Post player of the year — and Sterre Van Ede, daughter of Pieter Van Ede, a member of the 1992 Netherlands field hockey Olympic team.

“The coaches that have come prior have done great groundwork,” Scott said. “I have to give credit to them, fundamentally, because the girls get it.”

The Mustangs are set to face No. 4 seed Denver East (8-2-5) in the semifinals Wednesday — a team they beat 4-1 in their season opener.

“I’d love to graduate four years without losing a game,” sophomore midfielder Nellie Turnage said, nervously laughing at the idea. “It’s a really big goal, but it’s something with this team we could accomplish if we worked really hard.”

Joe Nguyen: jnguyen@denverpost.com or twitter.com/joenguyen

Schedule

at All-City Stadium

Semifinals

Wednesday

(1) Colorado Academy vs. (4) Denver East, 5:30 p.m.

(2) Kent Denver vs. (3) Palmer Ridge, 7:15 p.m.

Finals

Saturday, 5 p.m.

By the numbers

Colorado Academy has finished at or near the top of the state in goals for and against since it began its streak. Here’s a look at the Mustangs’ numbers and where they ranked:

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