By Cort Reynolds
ADA – The host Ada High School girls soccer team dismantled winless non-league foe Van Wert 10-0 Saturday afternoon, September 28, to celebrate Senior Day in style at War Memorial Stadium.
Ada poured in seven first half goals to clinch the verdict early. Senior Karley Wagner authored a hat trick and passed out two assists to pace the onslaught.
Lexi Poling scored twice in the first half while Wagner, Alyssa Nau, Kenley Poling, Alex Gibson and Jillian Allison all found the net once before intermission.
The Bulldogs improved to 7-6 overall with the lopsided victory. The Cougars fell to 0-13 after the loss.
“Three seniors scored at least a goal and played the majority of the game on Senior Day,” said Ada head coach Doug Dewese. “Karley Wagner was deserving of the hat trick and two assists for all the hard work she has put in this season.
“These games can be fun to coach as far as everyone getting a lot of playing time and finding the net a bunch,” he continued. “And they can also be frustrating in holding the girls back to demonstrate some sportsmanship as well.
“The girls responded well, knowing the importance of showing some class and sportsmanship, and focused on possession and soccer skills the last 30 minutes of the game,” said Dewese.
Ada dominated play and controlled possession throughout.
Junior Jordyn Smith got off a header on an Avary Acheson corner kick to start the second half, but it was blocked.
Two minutes later Wagner then passed to Smith, who booted a rolling right side angle shot to the left corner of the net past the keeper to make it 8-0 with 37:20 left in the second half.
At the 34:11 mark, Reese Jordan made a nice run, but her shot went wide right.
Alex Gibson then fed Wagner a nice ball down the middle that Karley ran up on and kicked from nine yards out just before the keeper came out to collide with and upend her.
The shot rolled into the open net to provide a 9-0 margin with 31:33 remaining to play.
A shot by Acheson just over two minutes later rolled wide left. Emma Lambdin fired a shot that was saved at the 24:09 point.
The Cougar keeper made a nice sliding save with 22:17 left to play.
Bulldog senior Allison fired a 23-yard shot that was saved at the 20:35 juncture.
At the 16:39 mark, freshman Emily Shanks launched a high one-bounce shot from 35 yards out that the keeper caught before it could go over her head into the net.
Kenley Poling booted a corner kick that sailed too far with 15:10 remaining.
Wagner then curled a left corner kick into the far right upper side of the net to make it 10-0 with 13:05 left to play.
A 35-yard direct kick by Lexi Poling with 8:37 to go went wide left.
Wagner scored a career-high three goals. Senior Lexi Poling netted two goals in the first half. Junior Nau scored a goal and passed out an assist in the first half.
Senior Allison tallied a goal, as did Kenley Poling.
Gibson scored a goal and passed out three assists. Acheson dished out three assists. Freshman Aliyah Kober doled out one assist.
The Bulldogs out-shot VW, 21-0. Ada earned five corners and four direct kicks.
Bulldog freshman keeper Emily Gibson got the shutout without having to make a single save in goal.
“It was a good day to recognize our three hard-working seniors,” Dewese noted. “I cannot say how proud I am of the work and leadership Lexi Poling, Jillian Allison and Karley Wagner put into this team.
“As a side note, I am pretty sure that this group of seniors is the winningest group of graduating seniors in program history with a total of 22 wins as a class since their freshman year,” he added.
The group won two games as freshmen, five as sophs, eight last year and seven so far this season as seniors.
Ada plays at struggling Spencerville (2-10-1, 2-3 NWC) Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m.
The Bulldogs look to surpass the program season record of eight wins set last year. Including the tournament, the Bulldogs have at least four matches left to also reach the pre-season goal of 10 wins or more.
