GIRLS LACROSSE: Rochester stymies Stoney Creek
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ROCHESTER HILLS — Better late than never.
Rochester staked claim as the team to beat in the OAA White Division Monday, showcasing another high offensive explosion in a 13-5 victory over Rochester Stoney Creek. Seven of the Falcons’ goals came in the final quarter.
Stoney Creek grabbed an early 3-1 lead before the Falcons slowly clawed back for a 6-5 lead with 10 minutes to play in the fourth frame. Rochester exploded down the stretch, scoring an unanswered seven goals after that point to turn a one-goal advantage into an eight-goal win
“We had a slow start, but I think we really got going after the first quarter,” said Rochester coach Dave Hammel. “Stoney Creek came out and played really well at the beginning. We had to make some changes.”
Stoney Creek’s attack was lethal in the opening minutes, as the Cougars built a 3-1 lead only six minutes into the contest. Rochester switched to a zone defense and only allowed the Cougars to score two more goals the rest of the way.
“I think once we switched to zone, that made a huge difference,” said Hamel. “That changes the whole game for us.”
Rochester (4-1, 1-0) led 4-3 at the half thanks to a trip of second-quarter goals. In the third quarter, Rochester and Stoney Creek (1-3, 0-1) both traded off two goals each, setting the stage for Rochester’s outburst in the fourth frame.
Kylie Gray, playing with a broken toe, led Rochester with four goals on the night. Freshman Jessica Leininger continued her torrid pace with three more goals and Katie Krako added two tallies to help aid Rochester’s offensive output.
Tara Kenny, Jordin Pardoski and Renee Soulliere added single goals for Rochester, while Aly Rosenau notched 12 saves on 17 chances for the Falcons, good for a .706 save percentage.
“The one thing I really like about this team is that we are very balanced,” said Hamel. “The past couple of years, we’ve had some girls that scored a lot of goals, so we had some other girls that didn’t have the ball in their stick as much. We just had to put the ball into their stick this year and they are stepping up. This year we are spreading it around a little bit, which hopefully makes it more difficult to defend.
“We have a very solid group of seniors, with a lot of experience,” added Hamel. “And we have a nice mix of sophomores and freshmen that complement our upper classmen. We have a couple of new girls that have come in and helped us a lot already.”
Rochester visits Clarkston Friday at 7 p.m., as the Wolves, who won the OAA-White last season, are now up in the OAA Red Division. Rochester also plays at rival Rochester Adams Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
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Category: High School, Rochester, Rochester Adams
[…] Girls: Rochester 13, Stoney Creek 5. […]