By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School girls soccer team lost 3-0 to visiting Van Buren in a North Central Ohio Soccer Association match on a warm Wednesday evening, October 4, at War Memorial Stadium.
With the defeat, Ada is 6-4-3 overall and finished 2-2-1 in NCOSA play. The Bulldogs are third in the six-team league.
“Considering we didn’t have a win in NCOSA last year, that is a pretty good step for these ladies,” said Ada head coach Doug Dewese.
Second-place Van Buren improved to 9-2-2 overall and 3-1-1 in NCOSA action after the shutout win.
The combatants came into the match tied for second in the six-team league standings behind 4-0 Liberty-Benton.
VB scored in the opening minutes and added a penalty kick to build a 2-0 lead at halftime. The Black Knights added another goal early in the second half before the Ada defense stiffened.
Bulldog senior goalkeeper Katie Sizemore made some good saves in the second half. She grabbed a right side shot with 20 minutes left.
A minute later, a Black Knight cross went through the box and was booted too high off the football goal post.
At the 17:30 mark, VB earned a one-on-one break. The speedy Knight girl rocketed a shot from the right side that a lunging Sizemore got a hand on. The shot deflected off the far post back toward the keeper, who alertly dove on it before it could cross the goal line.
Sizemore deflected another shot from the right side over the goal at the 14:33 mark. The ensuing corner kick was redirected over the goal.
Sizemore saved another shot with 8:30 left.
A rolling Bulldog shot was scooped up with 30 seconds to go to end the match.
Sizemore made 10 saves.
“Van Buren is a very talented team,” said second-year coach Dewese. “We played very hard and put up a good fight. We were slow to start and gave up an easy goal in the first five minutes, then played them pretty tough after that.
“Credit to Katie Sizemore, who wasn’t tested a bunch but came up with some key saves to keep the scoreline close,” he continued.
Ada (1-3-1 NWC) hosts Delphos Jefferson (5-7, 2-3 NWC) Monday, October 9 at 7 p.m. in the Northwest Conference finale.
The Bulldogs then entertain Putnam County League leader Miller City (10-1-1) Oct. 12.
Drawing for sectionals is Sunday. Ada is in a tough nine-team sectional with 12-2 Allen East, NWC champion Bluffton, Van Buren, Riverdale, Upper Sandusky, Galion, Mansfield Christian and Cory-Rawson.
