By Cort Reynolds
HARROD - The Ada boys soccer team won its Northwest Conference opener 2-1 at backyard rival Allen East under the lights Monday night at Goodwin Field.
The tight victory evened the Bulldog overall record at 2-2, and they start out 1-0 in the NWC. AE fell to 1-1 and 0-1 in league play with the defeat.
"It was a nailbiter," said veteran Ada head coach Jason Okuly.
Bulldog senior forward Jacob Poling netted both goals to lead the offensive attack. Senior Ian Dellifield added one assist.
Sophomore keeper Grant Preston made 21 big saves in goal.
Ada hosts non-league foe Miller City Wednesday, September 3. They then entertain Paulding in another Northwest Conference match Sept. 8.
Lady Bulldogs fall to Mustang kickers
ADA - The Ada girls soccer team lost a hard-fought 4-1 battle to visiting local rival Allen East on a sunny Monday evening in the Northwest Conference opener.
The defeat dropped the Lady Bulldog record to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the NWC. Late-starting AE won its opener to begin 1-0 and 1-0 in league play.
"Today was just one of those games where we just didn't quite have it," said Ada head coach A.J. Wahlie. "Our first touch would get away from us, but I thought we competed very well.
"Our team doesn't have any quit in them, and I am so proud of us."
AE nursed a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Bulldog junior keeper Olivia Green made saves with 35:32 and 33:11 left in the game. Ada earned a corner kick three minutes later, but could not equalize.
AE had a corner kick broken up by senior defender Kylie Shafer with 28 minutes to go. Bulldog Hailey Robirds put a shot on goal from 24 yards out at the 27:45 mark, but it was saved.
Then with 21:11 remaining, AE floated a shot over the leaping Green into the top left side of the net from 21 yards out to double the Mustang lead.
Ada then had a long direct kick saved, and AE went on a counter-attack. Green deflected a shot from the left wing with her left hand but it bounced out in front of the goal into dangerous territory. A Mustang drilled the rebound shot into the open net from about five yards out.
The second Mustang goal over a 75 second-span broke the game open, and gave AE a 3-0 cushion with 19:56 left.
"We talked a lot in the beginning of the season about not making two mistakes in a row in those moments," Wahlie said. "Composure is key. We will continue working on the mental side of the game, as well as our technical abilities."
Ada senior Brenna Hissong got the hosts on the scoreboard when she drilled a direct free kick from straight on 25 yards out off the outstretched fingers of the AE keeper and into the top part of the net.
The goal with 14:11 left pulled Ada within 3-1. The Bulldogs kept attacking and had a chance to score off a corner kick around the 11:30 mark, but came up empty.
AE then penetrated the left wing again and re-directed a feed into the open lower left corner of the net at the 10:54 mark to rebuild the lead to 4-1.
Green then saved a long shot with 10:18 to go and gloved another shot at the 5:48 mark. AE had a chance to add to their lead but a floating shot went just over the goal.
Green made a nice sliding save with 1:48 left to stop the last scoring threat.
Ada played without starting midfielder Luci Wall, who broke her wrist at Marion last Saturday and may be out for the rest of the season.
"We are going to miss her ability on the wing," Wahlie admitted. "Only having two subs now will be tough but i still have hope. Timber (Blankenship) comes back at the end of September. Luci might be back for the last few games."
Ada hosts Upper Sandusky Thursday, September 3 at 5 p.m. "We have a few things to tweak for Thursday, and we get another opportunity to compete," said Wahlie. "I think we could be pretty good by the end of the season if we can just get healthy."
