‘WOLL’ing… Top-ranked Lakers cruise into CHSL soccer finals
CLOSING IN: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes forward Jessica Parry (left) closes in on Allen Park Cabrini's Anna Marie Zylla during Tuesday's CHSL semifinals. Parry and the Lakers rolled to a 5-0 triumph.
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
CLARKSTON — Perhaps a loss in last year’s Catholic League finals served as motivation. For the Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes-Clarkston Everest Collegiate Unified’s girls soccer program, the Lakers have not lost since that game last May.
Our Lady of the Lakes-Everest earned another berth in the CHSL championship match with a methodical 5-0 shutout Tuesday over Allen Park Cabrini at the Everest Collegiate.
The Division 4 top-ranked Lakers will play at 12 noon this Saturday at Livonia Ladywood against Riverview Gabriel Richard, which defeated Royal Oak Shrine Catholic in the other semifinal.
Riverview Gabriel Richard, currently ranked seventh in Division 3, defeated WOLL-EC, 2-1, in last year’s championship game, the Lakers’ only loss in two seasons. Gabriel Richard and WOLL-EC tied 2-2 earlier in the season, the Lakers’ only blemish this spring.
“We definitely have to come out hard,” said senior midfielder Meghan Topolewski. “We didn’t have a very good warm-up last year. Some of us were late and we just didn’t have it together.”
WOLL-EC went on to win the Division 4 state championship last season and is 13-0-1 this season.
The Lakers dominated Cabrini from start to finish, scoring three times in the first 11 minutes and rarely allowing the Monarchs a chance to enter their third of the field. WOLL-EC outshot Cabrini by a commanding 24-0, including 13-0 with shots on frame, and had all four of the game’s cornerkicks.
Sophomore Eva Doetsch and Meghan Topolewski both finished with two goals, freshman Anna Robb also scored with an assist and sophomore Jessica Parry also notched two assists in the rout.
Cabrini goalkeeper Kellie Cser kept it close with eight saves.
UPFIELD: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes sophomore midfielder Eva Doetsch looks for an open teammate during Tuesday's 5-0 rout of Allen Park Cabrini.
Doetsch set the tone with a goal just 3:35 into the contest, slipping in a close-range shot following a pass from the Parry. Robb struck gold in the ninth minute off a feed from Brianna Topolewski and Meghan Topolewski made it 3-0 29:48 to play in the opening half off a pass from Robb.
Despite peppering the Monarchs’ goal the rest of the first half, the Lakers only led 3-0 at the half.
Meghan Topolewksi scored off a rebound with 26:06 to play and Doetsch notched her second goal with 19:12 remaining, ripping a shot to the corner off a touch from Parry.
Senior Chantelle Ludwig didn’t face a shot in recording the shutout.
CUTTING IT CLOSE: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes senior defender Abbey Troy looks to cut past Allen Park Cabrini's Hannah Hermann during Tuesday's CHSL semifinals.
“The main thing was getting out of here healthy,” said WOLL-EC coach Rich Ludwig. “We were already missing Farrah (Nordman), our center back due to an injury she received in softball. But with a good team, people are able to step up into the roles. That’s how we train our players to play multiple positions.
With a shot at redemption in terms of the Catholic League championship, Ludwig believes this team is different than last year when it lost to one of the program’s chief rivals.
“We tied (Richard) 2-2. They are a good team, well-coached,” said Ludwig. “I always look forward to that, because (Richard’s)coaching staff) and I connect through travel ball as well as high school soccer.
“We’re a little bit deeper,” continued Ludwig. “We ran out of gas a little bit (last season) with having a short bench. We’re a little bit deeper than we were last year. We’ve got some impactful freshman, so I’m really looking forward to the rematch.”
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Category: Clarkston Everest Catholic, High School, Prep Wraps, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes
