By Cort Reynolds

ADA – The Ada High School boys soccer team lost 2-0 to visiting Miller City in its North Central Ohio Soccer Association opener on September 2.

Ada dropped to 4-2 and 0-1 in NCOSA play after the league home defeat on a very hot and muggy night at War Memorial Stadium. The Bulldogs are now 3-1 at home.

Unbeaten MC improved to 4-0-1 overall and 2-0 in the NCOSA with the clean-sheet road win.

“We struggled to complete passes and move the ball up the pitch,” said Bulldog head coach Aaron Acheson. “Miller City played fast and put pressure on us, which rushed our passes. We had some great individual efforts from some players, but against Miller City we didn’t have enough to overcome them as a team.

“We have to learn that from this game,” he added.

Ada senior scoring ace Andrew Allen went out early in the game with an ankle injury.

“Losing Andrew early in the game set us back a little,” said Acheson. “He rolled his ankle going up to fight for a header in front of the goal.”

After that, the Wildcats controlled the ball for much of the first half.

Ada keeper Jacob Rush made a good one-handed save as he deflected a hard, high shot to himself with 26:33 left in the first half.

Bulldog senior Connor McKean blocked a right side MC blast with his foot at the 22:23 mark. A Wildcat shot almost two minutes later rolled wide right of the goal.

Rush corraled a one-bounce shot in front of the goal with 18:21 to go in the first half. But a minute later, after a foul in the box, MC was awarded a penalty kick. 

With 17:20 to go, Wildcat Elgin Williams calmly booted a low ball into the lower left corner of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 edge.

Fifty-six seconds later, Rush made a nice diving grab off an MC left corner kick. At the 13:20 juncture, a Wildcat right corner kick sailed through the middle and out of bounds harmlessly. 

With 3:51 left, Ada got off a right corner kick that sailed past the far goalpost and bounced out of play on the other side.

A Wildcat crossing pass curled across the front of the Ada goal and hooked out of bounds with 2:02 to go in the half. 

The defensive battle continued for much of the second half. 

MC tallied an insurance goal with 18 minutes remaining to provide the final margin.

Ada has a break from games until Thursday, Sept. 10 when they visit perennial NCOSA power Van Buren (4-1).

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