GIRLS SOCCER: WOLL gains berth in third state finals in four years
Lakers hold off Lansing Christian
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BYJOHN K. SCHRODER
CORRESPONDENT
TROY — Sophomore defender Shelby Mann scored a goal on a 25-yard blast with 15:14 remaining in regulation and unbeaten Lakers made it stand as Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes-Clarkston Everest Collegiate Unified defeated Lansing Christian, 3-2, in a Division 4 girls soccer state semifinal at Troy Athens on Wednesday night.
The Lakers (20-0-0) earned a rematch with defending state champion Grandville Calvin Christian, as the Squires clipped Kalamazoo Christian, 1-0, in the other state semifinal to save the date. GCC beat the Lakers, 6-0, in last year’s state final match.
IN CONTROL: Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes-Clarkston Everest Collegiate Unified’s Lindsay Straw (No. 13) and the Lakers have moved into the Division 4 state finals for the third time in four years. Photo | Ken Swart, Swart Photography.
The teams renew acquaintances Saturday at 3 p.m. at Mason High School. The Lakers also won the 2010 state championship and will make their third championship appearance in four years.
“We’ve had one goal this whole season and that was to get back to the state championship. That’s the last game we lost. I think the girls are super pumped to rectify that,” said Lakers coach Katie Hearn. “I definitely think that has helped to motivate us. I can’t wait. I can’t wait. I can’t wait.”
The Lakers will have to do with limited, if any services, from senior Ava Doestch, who went out with a knee injury in the district opener against Madison Heights Bishop Foley. In her absence, different players have stepped up.
Like Mann tonight. With the Lakers protecting a 2-1 lead, Mann was in the right place following a corner kick serve by Lindsay Straw.
“Katie (coach Hearn) told me to stand right in front of the goal and it just came out to me and I shot it. I don’t even know what to say. It’s just so crazy,” Mann said of her second goal of the season that streaked high and just under the bar. “It just came out and I put it in the back of the net.”
The goal impressed Christian coach Joel VandeKopple, who had guided the Pilgrims to the state championship in 2011 before falling to Foley.
“That third goal was — tip your hat to her — that was a great shot,” VandeKopple exclaimed. “That was a sweet, sweet effort. Soon as she hit it, you knew it was in.”
That goal gave the Lakers a 3-1 cushion with 15:14 to play. Lansing Christian’s Emily Ross drove a short side shot through the hands of Lakers keeper Megan Luttinen and inside the post to narrow the gap with 5:04 remaining.
But once again junior forward Anna Robb was clicking early to ignite the Lakers. Robb opened the scoring in the 10th minute when another Straw serve into the middle of the Pilgrims’ box bounced off a defender and onto Robb’s foot. Quickly, it was 1-nil for the Lakers.
Fifteen minutes later, Robb made a run down the right flank into the box and dropped a soft pass back to the trailing Alex Troy, who made no mistake and deposited the shot far side for a 2-0 lead with 16:23 to play in the first half.
It looked as though the Lakers were going to run Lansing Christian off the turf and out of the stadium. WOLL-CEC finished the match with an 18-9 edge in shots. Luttinen made three stops and Holly Parks countered with seven for Christian.
Mann took notice of her teammate’s effort.
“Anna Robb has been just un-believe-able. I can’t even begin to tell you,” Mann said. “She’s inspired everybody. Especially me. She’s been scoring left and right and just been unbelievable. Everyone has been doing their part and Ava is on the sideline cheering us on. We want to win for her because she’s a senior.”
But Christian stole the momentum with a late tally. Elizabeth Perkins was a threat all night for the Pilgrims and she set up the first Pilgrims’ goal, too. She dribbled straight down the heart of the Lakers defense and then dished left in the box to an unmarked Isabel Bustamante, who buried the shot with 3:40 to go in the opening half and cut the deficit to 2-1.
Perkins and Emma Cross exchanged opportunities and the score remained the same until Mann struck.
“We lost to a good team tonight. I thought that late goal (for us) at the half was huge. I didn’t want the half to end at that point and time. I thought we came out in the second half real strong, real aggressive. We just couldn’t find that equalizer,” said VandeKopple.
“We started the year 0-3-1. We were playing some big schools in Division 1 and Division 2. Things were about as low as they have been around here and then we had some girls hurt and it was frustrating,” VandeKopple said as his team rebounded to finish 10-4-3. “If you told me at that time that we’d be playing in the state semis, I would have laughed at you. We came together and started playing some good soccer.”
WOLL-CEC IN DIVISION 4 POSTSEASON:
2013: Still playing; State Finalist
2012: Lost in state championship match to Grandville Calvin Christian (6-0).
2011: Lost in regional finals to Saginaw Nouvel Catholic (3-0).
2010: Won state championship, defeating Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Central (2-1).
2009: Lost in regional semifinals to Madison Heights Bishop Foley (2-1, OT).
2008: Lost in regional semifinals to Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port-Laker (3-0).
2007: Lost in districts
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