GIRLS SOCCER: Troy pushes Athens to the corner to claim district title
BY DAN STICKRADT
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dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
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TROY — An early goal can make a huge difference in how a soccer team approaches the rest of the game. Such a scenario worked well in Troy’s favor Friday night.
Troy scored just 53 seconds into the game and never relinquished the lead, as the 13th-ranked Colts knocked off sixth-ranked Troy Athens, 3-1, in a Division 1 district finals at Athens.
“That first one was really big,” admitted Troy coach Dan Troccoli. “Instead of worrying about trying to find a way to put the ball into the net, we could concentrate on doing what we planned on doing. I thought defensively we did a great job on them and offensively we have worked really hard on restarts and it paid off twice for us tonight.”
Troy (10-5-2) converted on its first shot of the game. Freshman midfielder Charlotte Sobotka’s bending cornerkick right to the four-yard mark was headed into the goal by junior forward Marissa Young.
The Colts, who made a run to the D-1 Final Four last season, made it 2-0 in the 18th minute on another restart. Sobotka placed another cornerkick right to the penalty spot, and senior midfielder Tahra Brodbine headed it home for what proved to be the game-winner with 22:26 still left to play in the first half.
Troy added an insurance tally with 32:28 left in the contest when freshman forward Olivia Rush picked up a steal, turned and fired a low 25-yard shot into the back of the net.
“This is great to win three district titles in my four years here,” smiled Brodbine, who is headed to Division I school IPFW next season. “To beat the other Troy school in a game right here in Troy is special. Couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Athens, which hit the crossbar twice in the game and once midway through the first half that was inches from tying the contest, finally broke through with a goal with 30:36 to go in the second half. Senior forward Jordyn Rauser uncorked a left-footed blast from the left corner of the box that floated high and into the goal.
The Red Hawks (17-3-1) could not convert again despite some chances. It marked the third straight year Athens lost in the district finals.
Senior goalkeeper Cassidy Dawson finished with a pair of routine saves for the win in goal for the Colts.
“Hats off to them for scoring on those two restarts,” said Athens coach Todd Heugh. “We’ve had a problem this season in a few games by giving up the early goal or trailing in the first half. That’s on me. We need to change some things (next year) and do some things differently. That’s the second straight year where we allowed an early goal to Troy in the district finals.
“We’ve been here six straight years. We won three in a row and now we lost in the district championship game for three years now,” continued Heugh. “I’m proud of us competing and trying to come back. But we need to do something different in these games and try not to get down early.”
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