Regional Girls Soccer: Northview turns back Trojans, 2-1
By DAVE HANNEMAN
STAFF WRITER
TOLEDO -- Rick Burgin was concerned when Findlay took a quick lead on his Sylvania Northview girls soccer team Wednesday.
Concerned, but not discouraged.
"We've been down in every (tournament) match," Burgin said after the Wildcats rallied to beat Findlay 2-1 in a Division I regional semifinal at Ottawa Hills' Niedemeier Stadium.
"Sometimes quality teams perform best when their backs are against a wall."
Katie Schmidt scored both goals for Northview, including the game winner at the 27:04 mark of the second half.
"That was a volly rip," Burgin said. "I'm surprised the net is still there."
"(Schmidt) is a good player and she came through for her team," said interim FHS coach Mark Laux. "That's what she's supposed to do."
Northview (12-5-3) advances to the regional championship to face Medina, a 3-0 winner over Westlake. Findlay ends its season at 11-6-1.
Findlay and Northview played to a scoreless tie during the regular season. But Ashley Miller made sure the rematch would have some fireworks when she put Findlay up 1-0 a little over six minutes into the match.
Miller raced in on a long pass into the box. When Northview goalie Jessica Jessing hesitated an instant before going after the ball, Miller beat her to it, knocked it clean and booted it into the upper left corner of the net.
Northview, which attacked aggressively and in waves, tied it with 6:59 left in the first half. FHS keeper Shannon Mills came out to contest a Northview shot. The ball was blocked, but ricocheted up in the air and landed near the left foot of Schmidt, who found an open goal before her.
Schmidt's second goal was a howitzer shot. Northview's Haley Gasser played a ball into the box and Schmidt ripped a shot that glanced off an FHS player and just beyond Mills' reach.
"She's big time," Burgin said of his senior forward. "She's a dynamic player and a great leader."
Findlay had chances, but the Trojans had a hard time getting into an offensive rhythm on the Turf Field surface of Niedermeier Stadium. Miller, who sat out the last 13 minutes of the first half and the first three of the second because of an injury, couldn't get a good angle on a shot with just under 10 minutes left, and Maricella Hernandez had a shot stopped by Jessing a minute later.
Findlay managed just four solid shots on goal for the game.
Findlay prepared for the regional semifinal by practicing at Donnell Stadium, which has a Turf Field surface. There's a difference, though, between practice and a one-goal deficit in the regional semifinals.
"We were ready for the turf deal," Laux said. "It was not a factor early, but when we started to play a little too fast at the end it effected us.
"The girls didn't panic. But as time got down they tried to pick up their play, and the faster you play on this stuff the faster the ball moves and the harder it is to control.
"We like to possess the ball, keep it at our feet. On this surface, the ball runs away from you. I'm not saying we don't want to play on artificial turf surface, but it's tough for our style. It takes a lot away from a possession team like us."
Mills, a four-year senior letter winner, finished with four saves in her final FHS game. Paige Madden, another senior, led the Trojans defensively with 19 intercepts. Larissa VanDerMolen had 17.
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