By Cort Reynolds
COLUMBUS GROVE __ The visiting Ada High School girls soccer team led unbeaten former league rival Columbus Grove at halftime, but ended up losing 4-1 on a warm Saturday, September 14.
The purple and gold dropped to 5-4 overall with the hard-fought defeat.
Grove improved to 7-0-1 with the win. CG is tied atop the Northwest Conference standings with fellow traditional power Bluffton at 3-0.
Ada led 1-0 at the half, but Grove came back with four goals to win. CG netted three of those scores in the final 25 minutes to pull away late and win by a deceptively comfortable margin.
“We out-shot them and out-played them for about 60 of the 80 minutes,” said Ada head coach Doug Dewese. “They just capitalized on those 20 minutes when they got their goals.”
Ada freshman Rose Baxter scored the first goal on a long chip shot after a scramble in front of the Grove net.
CG senior Lauryn Auchmuty led the hosts with two goals and two assists. Junior Ruth Myers tallied a goal and passed out one assist. Sophomore Lauryn Halker tallied the other Grove goal. CG junior Devanie Pingle added an assist.
Ada out-shot CG, 14-9. Grove junior Erianne Heffner was credited with nine saves in goal.
Purple and gold freshman keeper Emily Gibson saved eight shots in goal. Four of those saves were accomplished by taking away a long ball breakaway before Grove could get off a shot.
“We just got worn down toward the end,” Dewese explained. “It was a great effort, we just needed to finish the game better.
“I am very happy with the game Alex Gibson, Rose Baxter and Karley Wagner gave us,” he added.
The match completed a difficult stretch of five straight road games for his young squad, the last four of which they lost.
Ada hopes to get back on the winning track Monday night, Sept. 16. They host non-league foe Lima Senior (4-3) at 7 p.m. in the nightcap of a boys/girls varsity doubleheader.
It is the fourth such home twinbill this season for the purple and gold.
“We plan on a rebound game,” said Dewese. “The girls are ready to win, and are glad to be home after a long stint of road games. I think we will have a good fire underneath us to get back in the win column.”
