Shoregals

ripped a goal from center into the top left corner for a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, Avon Lake senior Olivia Siko followed with a goal with a defender draped all over her and gained a 2-0 lead before anyone had a chance to settle in their wet seats.

It appeared Avon Lake went up, 3-0, two minutes later when Allie Heschel maneuvered from the ride side of the field for a goal but interference was called.

The Bulldogs (6-3-4) weathered the storm when sophomore Ashley Sandru possessed the ball in the center field and found the back of the net to slice the lead to 2-1 in the 16th minute.

That remained the halftime score.

“I really feel like they took advantage of some early opportunities,” Olmsted Falls coach Matt Safar said. “We had some defensive breakdowns and had an opportunity to get back in the game but didn’t. They spread us out and it took us a while to get our shape back. We were able to calm things down for a while.”

In the opening of the second half, the Bulldogs nearly evened things when sophomore Ashley Sandru had a clear look at the net

but her shot went over the goal.

Minutes later, junior Margaux Duvall ripped a beauty of a corner kick for a 3-1 lead.

“My little sister and I practiced that shot over the summer,” Duvall said. “Going into this game we knew this team played really similar to us but that worked in our favor because we’re used to playing against teams who just kick it down the field, which kind of ruins the flow of the game. So it helped that they were putting it on the ground. At this point last year, I wasn’t playing as much, but now I’m starting a lot. So it’s important to show my leadership for the postseason.”

Junior Paige Hood put the final nail in the coffin in the 26th minute assisted from Siko. Avon Lake is 8-1-2 and 4-1-2 in the SWC, and after winning the conference last season but losing early in the postseason, coach Duvall wants his team to have a different mindset heading into the stretch run.

“We haven’t pursued the playoffs with any vigor the last couple of years,” he said. “The playoffs really mean something to us this year. Let’s see what we can do and it’d be awesome to make it to the sectional final. This is the first bench I’ve had in a while with talent and depth. We could do it.”