Troy has no problems leaving Stoney Creek with the chills
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
TROY — Troy may have had to face some unfavorable weather conditions Wednesday night, as temperatures were down to the upper 30s. But it was the Colts who left visiting Rochester Stoney Creek with the chills.
CLOSING IN: RochesterStoney Creek's Nina Grubba goes in to stop Troy's Lilia Sachovska during Wednesday's OAA Red Division match. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Troy scored on two of its first three scoring chances of the night, all with the first 1:53, and never looked back in downing the Cougars, 18-4, in an OAA Red Division girls lacrosse match.
“It was too cold, but I thought we played really well,” admitted first-year Troy coach Allison Atchoo. “It was crazy cold.”
The Colts at one time led 6-0 before the Cougars (3-2-0, 0-1-0) not only attempted a shot, but even entered the Colts’ final third of the field.
Stoney Creek scored on its second shot of the night, but the deficit was too great. Troy led by 10 goals at the break (12-2) to set off the running clock in the second half.
MIDFIELD COLLISION: Rochester Stoney Creek's Olivia Nielson and Troy's Nikki Pollina make some contact during Troy's 18-4 victory Wednesday. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Much like last year with a senior-laden team, Troy has proven to be a team that can not only score quick but in bunches.
“So far we have been able to (score a lot of goals),” said Atchoo, a former player at Troy and Michigan State. “We lost to Ann Arbor Pioneer our first game, but since then we’ve been a strong team. We can dictate (the game), which is what we want to do.”
Troy, a veteran program that got its start back in the mid-1990s, outshot Stoney Creek, a younger program only five years old, by a commanding 28-8 margin, including 23-6 with shots on frame. Sophomore Rachel Sacco got the win in goal, making two saves and rarely being tested.
BLOCKING HER VIEW: Rochester Stoney Creek's Michelle Egan tries to block Troy's Kathy Maher-Egin during Wednesay's clash. Maher-Egin and the Colts had their way the whole night, cruising to a 18-4 triumph. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt
Troy, which scored the first four goals of the second half to go up 16-2, had eight different players reach the scoring column in the game, led by senior Sydney Barrett’s four-goal explosion. Kathy Maher-Edgin added three goals and one assist to become one of four Colts to score at least three goals.
Senior Jessica Benton and sophomore Haley Burns also netted hat tricks for Troy, while junior Nikki Pollina and sophomore Theresa Birch scored two goals each. Senior Kristin Soreide and senior Susan Blake netted single tallies for Troy.
Troy graduated one of the al-time leading goal scorers in school history in Emily Raymond, who scored 62 times last season, but have a host of key scorers back this season and several talented newcomers, including seven sophomores on the roster of 21 players.
Troy was the OAA-Red runner-up and a regional finalist last season.
“I really expect great things this year. I keep saying that, but this team has a lot of talent,” added Atchoo. “They are coachable team, they are a lot of fun, they play well together.
“Our captains have been great,” continued the coach. “Jessica Denton, Kristin Soreide, Kathy Maher-Edgin have all stepped us and led this team.”
Senior center Brianna Johnson netted the natural hat trick for Stoney Creek. Senior Nina Gruba scored the fourth goal for the Cougars, who are their own team for the first time after playing as a unified program with Rochester Adams the past three years. Five years ago, there was only one program for the three Rochester schools..
Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Prep Wraps, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy
