By Cort Reynolds

ADA__ The Ada High School girls soccer team played to a 1-1 tie with visiting Riverdale in a North Central Ohio Soccer Association match under the lights at War Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, September 10.

The Bulldog girls are now 9-1-1 overall and 0-1-1 in NCOSA play after the tie.

The Falcons are 1-3-2 and 0-0-2 in NCOSA action following the result. 

“Riverdale is always good competition for us and tonight was no different,” said Ada fourth-year head coach Doug Dewese. “We heard from multiple Riverdale fans that they played one of their best games all season tonight.

“Coach Bash is great at getting the most out of the girls, and Riverdale is always excellent at give-and-go plays, which caused us a few issues,” he continued. “We made stops when we needed to and put a ton of pressure on Riverdale’s back line, but we didn’t get much quality on our shooting.”

Ada freshman Aubry Jordan netted a goal with 32:11 left in the first half to put the Bulldogs on top, 1-0.

Falcon Emma Kemmere fired a shot off the post 12 minutes into the fray.

Speedy Falcon ace Marissa Bonham, the defending NCOSA Player of the Year, tied it with 26:20 left in the first half. 

Bonham made a nice touch, turned and placed a goal into the top right corner of the net to make it 1-1.

Falcon Faith Schlarb curled a 20-yard shot over the net with 10 minutes left as the match went to intermission knotted at 1-1.

Both teams had a few chances to score in the final minutes.

A good Ada shot went wide left with 13:43 remaining to play. Emily Gibson saved a Falcon shot with exactly 10 minutes left.

A Bulldog shot sailed narrowly wide right of the goal at the 9:37 juncture. Gibson saved a Falcon shot on goal with 7:22 to go.

The Falcons got off another right side shot with 5:48 left, but it was saved again.

Ada then put the ball into the crease and the Falcon keeper misplayed it, leading to a Bulldog right corner kick with 4:08 left to play. But after playing the ball in, Ada could only muster a high shot from deep that was saved.

Bonham had the best late Falcon scoring opportunity with 2:31 to go. She booted a hard roller from about 19 yards out directed diagonally right to left, but it rolled just wide of the open left corner of the net and across the goal line harmlessly.

Ada’s last shot on goal came with 1:04 remaining, but it was saved to preserve the tie.
“Avary Acheson, Shay Smith, Emily Shanks all played really well for us and Emily Gibson kept the ball out of the net on some great shots,” said Dewese. “Our back line of Reese Jordan, Aliyah Kober and Jordyn Smith did a great job blunting their offense during counter-attacks.”

Ada keeper Gibson made 14 saves in goal. The Bulldogs out-shot the Falcons, 26-16.

“It was a fun game for us, and a lot better than the 7-0 loss last year,” added the coach.

Ada entertains defending Northwest Conference champion Columbus Grove (5-1-1) this Saturday at 10 a.m. in their annual battle of the Bulldogs to end a three-match homestand week.