By Cort Reynolds

ADA__The Ada High School girls soccer team scored four second half goals to break a tie and beat defense-minded foe Fort Jennings 5-1 in the home opener at War Memorial Stadium on Wednesday, August 20.

The Bulldog girls improved to 3-0 with the decisive non-league victory, while FJ fell to 0-2 with the defeat.
Ada senior Alex Gibson tallied two goals to pace the victors.

“Fort Jennings gave us a unique challenge by throwing up a very strong defensive set-up,” said fourth-year Bulldog girls head coach Doug Dewese. “They were keeping eight players behind the ball the entire
first half, and a few times I counted all 10 players behind the ball.

”Playing against a bunker defense requires patience and as young as we are, sometimes patience isn’t a virtue we practice,” he continued. “That was evident in a 1-1 tie at halftime.”

Ada senior Kenley Poling had a good shot in front on goal at the 28:37 mark of half one, but it was saved. At 20:11, freshman Shay Smith had another good scoring chance from almost the same spot in front, but her kick was also gloved and saved.

Alex Gibson’s corner kick sailed long with 19:22 left in the half. FJ mustered its first real attacking foray at the 15:10 juncture, but the stingy Ada defense prevented them from even getting off a shot.

A minute later, the Musketeer keeper made a nice diving save to deflect a shot off the right side of the goal. She made another save with 10:40 to go in the first half.

Senior Poling then cleaned up a loose ball scrum in front of the net and booted it past the keeper unassisted at the 10:09 mark to put Ada on top, 1-0.

However, FJ came right back to tie it. A high 30-yard direct kick from straight on took one big bounce and hopped over keeper Emily Gibson, who got an outstretched hand on it but couldn’t keep the ball from going into the net with 7:21 left.

An Ada shot curled just wide left at the 5:44 mark. Another Bulldog shot went wide left 75 seconds later.

Senior Alex Gibson put a shot on goal with 4:05 left, but it was saved.

With 50 seconds left in the half, Emily Gibson saved a direct kick from the right side from about 20 yards out to keep it 1-1 at intermission.

Ada controlled most of the possession vs. the packed-in defense, but could not muster more than one goal in the first 45 minutes.

“Once we slowed down, possessed better and were patient with our passing we broke the game open in the second half,” said Dewese. “We also got Ft. Jennings to spread out and create more room for us to have time on the ball.”

With 34:38 remaining, Alex Gibson hooked a shot into the netting from about 11 yards out front to break the tie.

Avary Acheson’s shot on goal was saved with 23:58 left. Acheson then scored on a shot from out front of the goal mouth with 22:38 to go which gave Ada a little breathing room, ahead 3-1.

With 14:01 to go, Rose Baxter fed a right-side pass into the goal box area where Shay Smith converted it to score for a 4-1 cushion.

With 10:19 remaining, Alex Gibson floated a shot over the FJ keeper into the net from about 14 yards out front to provide the final margin.

“Good games out of Alex Gibson, Ashley Williams and Emily Shanks,” Dewese noted. Williams, Poling, Baxter and Maycie Dewese each had one assist.

Ada out-shot the FJ girls, 23-2. Bulldog sophomore goalkeeper Emily Gibson only had to make one stop in goal.

Ada visits backyard foe Allen East (0-0-1) on Saturday at 10 a.m. The Bulldogs then visit Calvary Christian (1-0) Aug. 26.