GIRLS SOCCER: Rochester delivers unbelievable comeback to thwart Adams in district finals
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BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Comebacks are common in all level of sports. Rochester’s miraculous comeback Saturday on the soccer pitch was one for the ages.
The seventh-ranked Falcons staged a late rally, scoring twice in the final 1:57 of regulation to force overtime, then defeat Rochester Adams, 3-2, in a game that ventured through two 10-minute overtime periods and a shootout.
Rochester posted a 4-2 edge on PKs to prevail.
“To be honest, I have never seen anything like it, at the club or high school level,” admitted Rochester coach Cliff Brandmier. “In a comeback like this, I still can’t believe it. I have coached thousands of games and never been part of something like this and win. It’s a credit to the girls for never giving up and never stop believing.”
Rochester, runners-up in the OAA Red Division, will face unranked Grand Blanc at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the regional semifinals at West Bloomfield High School. Perhaps the Falcons should adopt Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” as their theme song for the remainder of the tournament.
Junior Maddie Moote scored both late goals for Rochester, and Stephanie Heber, bound for Seton Hall on a soccer scholarship, made two huge saves in the shootout to give Rochester their first district title since 2007, the year they finished as the state runner-up.
MAD RUSH: Rochester’s girls soccer team members mob goalkeeper Stephanie Heber after the Falcons shocked Rochester Adams in a shootout. Photo | Ken Swart
Moote scored Rochester’s first goal with 1:57 left when she took a feed from Jenny Goethals and deposited the shot into the net from 10 yards out.
Moote scored again in dramatic fashion with 7.1 seconds remaining, heading home a left-footed cross from Goethals to complete the comeback and force overtime.
“The first goal, I don’t think everybody realized that it went in,” noted Brandmier. “The second goal everybody did. It was just beautiful. We wouldn’t have got another shot off. Goethals had the perfect cross and Moote was there to head it in. You couldn’t have asked for a more (dramatic) goal.
“We knew this was going to be a great game. They usually are when you play one of your rivals,” continued Brandmier. “But you never envision coming back the way we did. We played with a lot of heart, not giving up.”
Senior Mackenzie Barber volleyed in a cross from Ryenn McAdory for the Highlanders’ first goal early in the second half.
McAdory helped set up Adams’ second goal. After being tripped up in the penalty box, senior Allison Reed finished off her ensuing penalty kick to make it 2-0.
Adams (12-5-5) could not hold off the Falcons down the stretch, and finally succumbed in the shootout.
Heber finished with eight saves for Rochester.
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