Athens topples Rochester for third straight win
STRIKE IT: Troy Athens sophomore Liz Abro (right) tries to rip this shot as Rochester's Marie Lepore tries to move in for the block during Thursday's OAA Red Division clash. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
ROCHESTER HILLS — Troy Athens had its eye-opener. Now, the Red Hawks are making opponents wince.
The Red Hawks, who opened the season two weeks 16 days ago with a 3-0 loss to-arch-rival Troy, have now won three straight, including Thursday’s 3-1 OAA Red Division triumph over host Rochester.
The Red Hawks trailed 1-0 before scoring twice late in the first half against the wind. In the second half, Athens controlled play and added an insurance tally to put the young Falcons away.
The win also avenged a 4-3 defeat to Rochester last May, which dropped the Red Hawks into second place in the final OAA-Red standings.
“I’ve always said that you learn more from a loss than you do from a win,” said veteran Athens coach Tim Storch, who started the boys program at Athens in 1981 and girls program in 1984. “We lost our first game to Troy and I think it showed us where our weaknesses are at and what we need to work on. We are really starting to click.”
LOOKING FOR ROOM: Troy Athens' Maggie Leone looks to get around Rochester's Sofia Farah. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Part of that is the Red Hawks are healthy and its standout player, Olivia Brannon, a member of the U-18 National Team, is getting comfortable playing with her teammates once again. Brannon was injured after six games last season.
“She’s the best player in the state,” said Storch of Brannon. “There’s no question in my mind about it. When she’s out there she is making the other players around her better. She’s also finally getting healthy, and when she is healthy I know that she can dominate a game.”
Rochester took a 1-0 lead on Athens. That only seemed to ignite Brannon and the Red Hawks. Brannon finished with a goal and an assist to pace Athens (3-1-0, 2-1-0).
Brannon set up Liz Abro for a goal with 4:05 left in the first half to tie the game at 1-1. Leah Schmitz gave Athens the lead 2:57 before the half when she retrieved the ball at the top of the box, beat her mark and laced a shot into the corner of the goal from 18 yards out.
Brannon cashed in a rebound off her own shot with 26:47 to play in the game for the 3-1 advantage. She had a goal off a restart called back 30 seconds earlier.
Rochester’s Mackenzie Chilcote gave Rochester the 1-0 lead when she retrieved a pass just inside midfield and raced in a lone before tucking a breakaway shot past Athens netminder Jenna O’Dell with 9:29 to go in the first half.. It was only Rochester’s second goal in four games.
Rochester, which has eight sophomores on its roster and a couple of starters nursing injuries, are on the learning curve playing a brutally-tough schedule. The Falcons (1-3-0, 1-3-0) have lost three straight after winning their season opener to Clarkston.
“We didn’t compete well the other night (in a 1-0 loss to Auburn Hills Avondale),” noted Heugh. “I thought tonight, though, we did compete. We came out and got that first goal, but we made some mental errors. I was a little let down by that, but we couldn’t get another chance to go (forward). It was hard with the wind in our faces in the second half.”
O’Dell finished with five saves for Athens, while Laura Ivezaj made five stops for Rochester. Athens outshot Rochester 12-8, including 8-6 with shots on frame.
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Category: High School, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Troy Athens
