GIRLS SOCCER: Adams, Troy can’t gain ground in 0-0 draw

HERE IT COMES: Rochester Adams' Grace Genouw (left) and Troy's Grace Goodrich prepare for the arrival of the ball during Tuesday's OAA Red Division clash. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotgraphy.com

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

Twitter: @LocalSportsFans

ROCHESTER HILLS — On the surface, nothing was settled on the soccer pitch Tuesday.

Rochester Adams and Troy battled to a 0-0 tie in an OAA Red Division match. Neither team gained ground on the other in the league race, which is in its final week, and neither team could solve the other team’s defense.

Yet for two teams with aspirations of long postseason runs — both schools have made several over the years — there was much to gain in the kiss-your-sister, scoreless draw.

HERE IT COMES: Rochester Adams' Grace Genouw (left) and Troy's Grace Goodrich prepare for the arrival of the ball during Tuesday's OAA Red Division clash. Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotgraphy.com

Rochester Adams outshot Troy 13-6, with Adams holding a 6-5 edge with shots directly on goal. Adams senior Lexi Lewandowski picked up her ninth shutout of the season, while Troy junior Alison Holland grabbed her eighth shutout of the year. Both keepers were brilliant when called upon during the contest, making brilliant saves and coming off their line to snare crosses, restarts and cornerkicks and patrolling the penalty boxes with authority.

“That’s why their keeper was All-State last year,” noted Donaghy. “She made a couple of brilliant saves. And our keeper, Lexi, made a couple of nice ones, too. Both goalies played well.”

Adams, which has a defense anchored by Lauren Boyle and marking back Tiffany Buckler and have yielded just six goals all year, helped the Highlanders dominate the first half, where Troy attempted just one shot.

The two teams were even in the second half but neither could solve the Rubix.

Adams (9-3-1, 8-1-1) had two great opportunities to cash in, one in each half, but could not convert. In the 37^th minute, Merlin Beckwith ripped a shot that Holland punched off the crossbar and out of play. Beckwith was loose again at the top of the box with 15:25 left in the contest, but her shot clanked off the left goal post.

Troy countered with some activity in the final 40 minutes. The Colts (11-2-1, 6-2-1), who lost to Adams 4-1 earlier in the year. Senior Miss Soccer candidate Irene Young was stuffed on three different scoring opportunities inside the final 20 minutes, including a blast with 13:23 where Lewandowski fell to her right to stop the shot.

Still, Troy had to make adjustments at the half to try to make the game more competitive.

“They took it to us in the first half,” admitted Troy coach Brian Zawislak. “We talked about it at halftime. It wasn’t much about Xs and Os. It was more about work rate. I thought our girls did a better job in the second half winning the first and second balls and getting pressure on them. (Adams) created some chances in the second half, but we created some as well. It could have gone either way.”

Adams (9-3-1, 8-1-1) still holds the league lead with two games left. The Highlanders will play Auburn Hills Avondale Thursday and Rochester Friday. Troy plays Rochester Stoney Creek Thursday and has a make-up contest Monday against Auburn Hills Avondale.

“We always talk about peaking for June. The league is the league, but we want to make sure we are ready for the tournament,” said Zawislak. “We still have a lot to work on.”

To submit information to www.northoaklandsports.com, e-mail dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com.  To advertise, e-mail advertising@northoaklandsports.com . Follow us on Twitter @LocalSportsFans and more than a dozen other social media networks.

FOR MORE SOCCER COVERAGE:  http://northoaklandsports.com/?s=soccer&x=0&y=0

Have photos or video of this event that you wish to share? E-mail pertinent information to www.northoaklandsports.com Senior Editor Dan Stickradt at dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com or e-mail results@northoaklandsports.com

Tags: featured, girls soccer, high school girls soccer, OAA Girls Soccer, prep girls soccer, Rochester Adams girls Soccer, soccer, Troy Girls Soccer

Category: Featured Articles, High School, High School (M-Z), Most Recently Updated Stories, Prep Wraps, Rochester Adams, Top Stories, Troy, Uncategorized