The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Hornets create buzz in OT, win state title
Zschuppe caps hat trick with extra-time goal as Kirtland wins first state title
COLUMBUS » In the northwest corner of MAPFRE Stadium, Ohio soccer’s central and crown jewel in Columbus, rests a section cover with the shape of Ohio and a yellow star in the middle.
Amid one long-elusive afternoon Nov. 7 for Kirtland in the Division III state championship match against Cincinnati Country Day, that star took on the Hornets’ hue of yellow. Finally.
Erika Zschuppe’s strike 2 minutes, 40 seconds into extra time capped a hat trick in
a legacy-defining performance and propelled Kirtland to its first D-III state title on its third attempt, 3-2.
The 19-1-3 Hornets are the third News-Herald coverage area girls soccer side to capture a state championship, joining revered company in 1996 Chagrin Falls and 2016 Gilmour.
As his side took selfies and assembled pictures that will endure in Kirtland hearts and minds as far as time
reaches, Coach Ed Bradac was retrospective — and, of course, appreciative — for the winding road that led to this watershed moment.
“It’s the girls that came before us when we started the program 17 years ago,” Bradac said. “And this is a product of all those girls. One of my players sent me a text, and she’s like, ‘I couldn’t be any prouder. Each year, our family grows. And we are behind you 100%.’ So we know we have those former players, a community that backs us. I am so incredibly proud of what these girls have accomplished.
“But it’s not just these girls. It’s all the girls that came before them. That’s what’s running through my head.”
Along with, understand
ably, a treasure trove of memories — punctuated by the match-winning strike from Zschuppe.
The two-time D-III AllOhio striker, who had a brilliant brace with a goal in each half of regulation, embarked on a hard counter in the 83rd minute.
After splitting the backline amid Aria Evans-Roskos service, Zschuppe took her time with a tight rightfooted effort that seemingly took an eternity to creep inside the left post side net.
Zschuppe has scored 51 goals this fall and 120 in her storied career. None, assuredly, have carried more consequence, as she netted only the second hat trick in girls state final history.
“At halftime, (Bradac) told me to start shifting over with the play,” Zschuppe said. “Aria got the ball, and I was like, ‘Here it comes.’ She hit me a perfect through ball, I took a little touch, went inside and just
slid it in. It was a beautiful ball by Aria.
“This didn’t feel like a state game to us. We just thought of this as another game. We worked our butts off. We came here, and we did it. We manifested it, what (senior midfielder Leah LaVerde) stated it as.”
And as far as Bradac was concerned, it was also a manifestation of Zschuppe’s immense value.
“Just a different kid, a different player and a different performance,” Bradac said, referring to how Zschuppe had evolved from a freshman striker on this state-final stage in 2018 to now. “If people in the state of Ohio cannot recognize it, she is one of the best players in the state. I don’t know what else she needs to do.”
Zschuppe gave her side a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute. Giuliana Vladic’s free kick took a bounce in the box, Zschuppe latched on and put home a right-footed
banger near post.
The Indians, paced by standout attackers Jenna Setters and Jada Moorman, kept the Hornets primarily defensive third-oriented for much of this match, enjoying an 11-4 shots on target advantage.
Moorman and Piper Farris struck 35 seconds apart in the 49th minute for a 2-1 lead.
But Kirtland, led by goalkeeper Corinne Aquila (nine saves) and center back Amber Yurick, hung in admirably to keep it a 2-2 match to extra time.
The counterattack promise was there throughout, and in extra time, that aspiration came true.
In the medals presentation postmatch, one by one, every Hornets player emotionally buried their heads in the shoulder of their beloved coach as those medals were draped. Finally.
“It’s funny: I don’t know
what I envisioned,” Bradac said, his voice quivering in genuine joy. “I just feel so happy for this group of 23 girls — how hard they have worked, and I would comment no one thought we would be here because of what we graduated the last couple years. We carried that all season — why can’t it be us?
“And I think that’s my emotion is, I just love how happy they are. State champs. I mean, we’ve knocked on this door five of the last six years. They are state champs, and it’s unbelievable to see, with tears in my eyes.”
The feeling was mutual, as that star in the northwest corner of MAPFRE took on the yellow hue of the Hornets.
“This year, he put everything into it,” Zschuppe said. “He is the happiest person I’ve ever seen. I am so proud we did this for him.”