By Cort Reynolds

KENTON__Despite a 12-day layoff, the Ada High School girls soccer team defeated Hardin County rival Kenton 2-0 in a non-league match on Thursday, October 9 to make program history.

The historic win in the female version of the “309 Cup” game gave the Ada girls' program a single-season record 11 wins, breaking the mark set last year.

The Bulldog girls improved to 11-3-2 after the shutout win. Kenton dropped to 2-14-1 with the defeat.

Ada sophomore Avary Acheson scored both goals. Senior Kenley Poling and sophomore Ashley Williams each passed out one assist.

“We pretty much sat in Kenton’s defensive end, which caused us all sorts of issues scoring,” said Ada head coach Doug Dewese. “Kenton would put eight or nine girls behind the ball, so open shots that were not contested didn’t really happen.

“We pounded and pounded at Kenton’s defense, but they stood pretty tough,” he continued. “The game got a little physical toward the end, which made me nervous with tournaments coming up.

“But at least our girls responded well to it and didn’t back down,” he noted. “We had great efforts from Rose Baxter, Kenley Poling, Chloe Hunsicker and Reese Jordan, to name a few.”

In the 30th minute, Ada sophomore Emily Shanks headed a shot that sophomore keeper Jadynn Byers caught out of the air.

Acheson’s first goal off a Poling feed gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

With 1:54 left in the first half, Rose Baxter ripped a shot from 23 yards out that was saved by Byers. The score stayed 1-0 heading to intermission.

Shanks got off consecutive shots on goal in the 57th and 58th minutes, but could not find the back of the net either time.

With 16:47 remaining, Ada senior Alyssa Nau booted a shot from 20 yards out that went wide left.

Then, with 12 minutes to go, Acheson tapped in an aerial cross by Williams with a good finish to give the Bulldogs a little breathing room at 2-0.

Ada outshot the Wildcats by a whopping 27-2 margin. Both Kenton shots came off placed kicks, as the stingy Bulldog defense held the hosts without a shot in the normal flow of play.

Ada sophomore keeper Emily Gibson made two saves in goal to preserve the clean sheet. Kenton keeper Byers made 25 stops in goal.

“All around, the girls had a good night,” said Dewese. 

Ada hosts tough Putnam County League co-leader Miller City (11-3-2) Saturday at 2 p.m. in the regular season finale.