By Cort Reynolds
The Ada High School girls soccer team decisively beat visiting Northwest Conference rival Delphos Jefferson 5-1 on a cool Monday evening, October 9, at War Memorial Stadium to tie a major season record.
With the convincing win, Ada improved to 7-5-3 overall and 2-3-1 in NWC play. Their seventh victory equaled the girls program record for most wins in a single season.
The Bulldog girls finished a solid fourth in the seven-team NWC, just ahead of Jefferson, with the one-sided victory. Fifth-place DJ fell to 6-9 and 2-4 in the NWC after the defeat.
“It was a pretty good night,” said Ada head coach Doug Dewese. “Delphos Jefferson is a decent team and played very hard, so to put five in the net on them and spread it around, with multiple players getting goals and assists, took some work.
“We are a very dangerous team when everyone is involved,” he continued. “My only downside is that we couldn’t get the shutout.”
Ada senior Ella Marshall scored two goals and doled out three assists to pace the Lady Bulldog attack. She now has 21 goals this season and 50 for her career, both Ada records.
Bulldog senior Olivia Burkhart netted two goals. Freshman Kenley Poling scored a goal and passed out one assist. Junior Lexi Poling dished out one assist.
Bulldog senior goalkeeper Katie Sizemore made 13 saves. “Katie deserved the shutout,” said second-year coach Dewese. “She played really well, and we let her down by letting a breakaway happen down our flank in the last five minutes of the game.
“Katie is a great keeper, she deserved the shutout and we didn’t get it for her,” he added. “Other than that, I can’t complain too much about getting another win.”
Sizemore has three shutouts this season, tying the school single-season record.
Ada led 2-0 at halftime and stretched its lead to 5-0 before giving up the late Wildcat score.
“We need to finish games, even if we have the scoreboard advantage,” said Dewese. “We have given up too many ties from not finishing games.
“This win ties the program record for most wins in a season, and this group of ladies deserves to have that honor,” he continued. “Hopefully, we can pull another few wins in and really cement a phenomenal season for them.”
The Ada girls finished a respectable third in the six-team North Central Ohio Soccer Association at 2-2-1. Liberty-Benton won the NCOSA title at 5-0, followed by Van Buren in second at 3-1-1.
Bluffton repeated as NWC champion at 5-0-1, just ahead of Allen East (5-1).
Ada entertains Putnam County League leader Miller City (13-1-1) Thursday, Oct. 12 in the regular season finale.
The match at Van Wert postponed from September 30 due to heavy fog will not be made up.
