GIRLS SOCCER: Heath’s first-half goal lifts Adams past Stoney Creek
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
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ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Adams still has a shot at the OAA Red Division title.
Thanks to a 1-0 victory Thursday over rival Rochester Stoney Creek, coupled with Rochester’s 1-0 upset of No. 8 Bloomfield Hills, the 18th-ranked Highlanders kept their title hopes alive.
Not bad for a program that not only graduated six players, but lost six other to the U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy showcase programs.
“We still have a shot at it. It depends on what Bloomfield Hills does with their last games as well, but if we beat Rochester (on Monday), then I believe we’ll at least get a share (of the league crown),” said Adams coach Josh Hickey, whose team captured the league crown last season.
The Highlanders held a 4-2 shots advantage over the first 40 minutes. That’s where Adams took a 1-0 lead with 30:53 to go in the first half. Elise Delikat’s cross to the middle of the penalty box was volleyed home by senior Anna Heath, who was left wide open eight yards in front of the net.
Stoney Creek upped the pressure on the Adams goal in the second half, holding a 7-1 shots edge in that period. The snakebite Cougars could not net the equalizer.
“They really put a lot of pressure on us. It was one of those halves where we couldn’t get anything going,” said Hickey. “Thankfully we were able to put one away in the first half. I thought we played a pretty good first half. The second half we weren’t too good.”
Even Stoney Creek leading scorer Isabella Paradoski had a trio of chances, including one the glazed off the outside of the goal post. Lauren Orlando clanked a shot off the crossbar.
Adams (15-3-2, 4-0-1) withstood the second-half pressure to collect the clean sheet. Stoney Creek held a 9-5 overall shots advantage, including 4-2 with shots on frame, but without finding the back of the net.
“That’s the story of our season. We’ve lost to five ranked teams in games where we could have won. We just didn’t finish,” said Stoney Creek coach Bryan Mittelstadt. “We’ll clean some things up and hopefully get another shot at them in districts. We had chances in this one. That’s what’s so frustrating.”
Amanda Babiak and Maddie Dolenga combined for four saves for Adams, which grabbed its ninth shutout of the season.
Jacklyn Garavaglia made two saves in a losing effort for Stoney Creek (11-5-3, 2-2-2).
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