By Cort Reynolds

The Ada High School girls soccer team lost a defensive 2-0 battle at rival Bluffton in a key Northwest Conference match Tuesday evening, September 26, at Steinmetz Field.

The first-place Pirate girls improved to 8-4-1 overall and 5-0 in NWC play with the crucial win. 

Defending champion Bluffton clinched at least a tie for first place in the league with one conference match remaining for the Pirates.

After the defeat, the Ada record dropped to 5-3-2 overall and 1-3 in NWC action.

Pirate Jasmine Hasting scored in the ninth minute off an assist from Aubrey Burkholder to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Lily Dagani extended the margin to 2-0 with an unassisted goal in the 29th minute.

The Pirates put 15 of their 21 shots on goal. All three of Ada’s shots were on target.

Bulldog senior keeper Katie Sizemore saved 13 shots, while Pirate keeper Kynzie Ewing stopped all three Ada shots. 

Ada (1-1-1 NCOSA) hosts winless Cory-Rawson (0-8-1, 0-3-1 NCOSA) Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in the back end of a boys/girls North Central Ohio Soccer Association varsity doubleheader.

Second-place Allen East is 4-1 in league play, followed by Columbus Grove at 3-1. The Pirates already beat AE 3-2 on September 19. 

Bluffton hosts rival Grove in their NWC finale October 3, and can capture the outright league title again with a win or tie.