By Cort Reynolds

ADA __ The Ada High School girls soccer team fell behind very early and lost 4-0 to visiting Upper Sandusky in a North Central Ohio Soccer Association contest on Wednesday, September 25 at War Memorial Stadium.

The Bulldog girls dropped to 6-6 overall and 0-4 in the rugged NCOSA after losing the opener of a girls/boys varsity doubleheader vs. the Rams.

The Rams improved to 5-5 overall and 2-2 in NCOSA action with the win.

“We are a much better team than what we played like tonight,” said Ada head coach Doug Dewese. “When you go one goal down in the first 30 seconds, it sets a tone that is hard to overcome. 

“As with any young team, small mistakes turn into big problems and that rang true tonight,” he added. 

Ram Rylee McCreary scored right off the opening kick-off just 11 seconds into the match to give the visitors a deflating 1-0 lead.

“We just flat-out came out asleep and dug a hole,” said Dewese.

Ada keeper Emily Gibson made a nice diving deflection save at the 35:20 mark. The ensuing US corner kick was stopped.

But at the 32:58 juncture, Grace Walton lofted a good ball over the top to Shiloh Shasteen. Shasteen bounced a shot from short range off her thigh past a charging Gibson to double the lead to 2-0.

With 25:13 left in the first half, the Rams struck again. An open McCreary took a good Erica Ruhlen corner kick in front of the net and booted it into the lower right corner of the net from five yards out past a diving Gibson. 

The Ram girls had built a 3-0 lead in the first 15 minutes.

Ada’s first good shot on goal by freshman Rose Baxter from 20 yards out hit the crossbar at the 23:58 mark, and was saved by Ram keeper Ellee Ham. 

Walton fired a 25-yard free kick that also clanged off the crossbar with 19:11 left in the half. 

With about 10 minutes left, Ada freshman Avary Acheson’s header attempt on a throw-in from classmate Emily Shanks was saved by Ham.

Bulldog Kenley Poling got a shot off on goal 2:32 before intermission. Baxter fired a right side shot on target that was saved by Ham 13 ticks before halftime to keep the score at 3-0.

The Rams scored 2:22 into the second half on a 25-yard blast by Ruhlen over the outstretched arms of Gibson to advance their lead to 4-0.

Baxter got off a solid shot 41 seconds later, but Ham saved it. The Bulldogs earned a corner kick at the 34:45 mark yet couldn’t cash in. Emily Gibson made a save at the 29:57 juncture.

A Ram one-on-one breakaway shot with Reese Jordan back defending curled just wide right with 19:44 remaining.

Alex Gibson launched a corner kick with 13:05 left, and it sailed too far and hooked out of play. Emily Gibson saved a Ram shot at the 12:23 point. 

Ada had a good scoring chance negated by off sides at the 9:56 mark. Alex Gibson launched a long shot on goal with 8:20 remaining which Ham snared.

Speedy Jordyn Smith moved up front from her defender position and created some late Bulldog offense. She booted a good left side shot from 15 yards out at the 6:48 mark, which Ham stopped. 

Smith then launched a good crossing ball with 5:09 to go that Ada could not capitalize on.

“All we can do is chalk this up as a learning experience, and move on to the next game,” said Dewese.

The Bulldogs got off 12 shots to nine by US.

Bulldog freshman keeper Emily Gibson made five saves in goal. Ham was credited with 11 saves.

Ruhlen assisted both McCreary goals and scored one herself. Shasteen netted the other Ram goal.

The Ada girls still hope to surpass the program season record of eight wins set last year. Including the tournament, the Bulldogs have at least five matches left to win at least three times and break the record

Ada entertains winless Van Wert (0-11) Saturday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. in a non-league match.