By Cort Reynolds
ADA - The Ada girls soccer team put up a strong second half defensive stand to edge visiting Upper Sandusky 1-0 Thursday night.
The hard-fought victory improved the Ada girls record to 2-3. US fell to 1-3-1 with the defeat.
Bulldog junior Hailey Robirds scored the lone goal on a corner kick from classmate Lauren Mullins with about 16 minutes left in the first half.
Ada then made that slim lead stand up with a bend but don't break defensive showing that withstood several Ram thrusts down the stretch.
"Hailey (Robirds) was everywhere," said head coach A.J. Wahlie. "She was flying into tackles, keeping possession for us, really doing it all."
Junior Olivia Green had a good game in goal for Ada as she and the defense posted their first shutout.
"What a fantatic, gutsy performance by us," Wahlie said. "It takes a lot of heart and courage to withstand that last 20 minutes of pressure.
After a timeout with 20:31 remaining, US upped the offensive pressure. Green made a save at the 17:28 mark, then the Rams shot wide at 16:39.
Ella Marshall made a good run and put a shot on goal for Ada with 12:12 to go. Ella Badertscher then made a gutty block a minute later to save a Ram shot on goal. Robirds followed with another painful shin block 11 seconds later.
Ada stymied a Ram corner kick at the 10:22 juncture as Bulldog Mullins contributed several key goal kicks. Green saved another Ram corner kick try with 7:40 left. A half minute later, a US shot sailed just wide.
Badertscher came up with another block save with 6:40 to go. Mullins mustered a save at the 3:37 juncture. Ten seconds later Green made a fine leg save, and the rebound shot went into the side of the net as Ada narrowly dodged two good scoring tries.
Green made another save with 2:27 remaining. The Rams then had a one on one shot from five yards out on the right side, but the shot went wide right.
With 45 seconds left, a long Ram shot from 25 yards out was knocked down and controlled by Green. Brenna Hissong then booted a long through ball ahead to Kiah Hefner, and Ada ran the clock out to preserve the win.
"The defensive work ethic by us in the second half was outstanding," Wahlie noted. "I could not be more proud of the girls."
Ada next plays at Liberty-Benton (3-1) Wednesday, September 9 at 5 p.m.
