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Two of Stow's primary offensive soccer catalysts are junior Abbie Lawson (left) and senior Katee Wensinger. They did most of the damage in a 3-1 win Wednesday at Twinsburg.
TWINSBURG, Ohio – If you thought Stow-Munroe Falls girls soccer was going to take a step back this year after graduating its two leading goal scorers from 2010 – you were wrong.
Stow’s speed and athleticism was on full display Wednesday night at Twinsburg High School where the Bulldogs dispatched the Tigers 3-1 in a Northeast Ohio Conference River Division match and ran their record to 10-2-1 (3-1 in the NOC River).
“We actually have more goal scorers because of the type of soccer that we are playing,” seventh-year Stow coach Chris Tipton said.
A year ago, Stow’s dynamic senior duo of Vickie Havas and Marena Toth produced 36 goals and 17 assists during a 13-4-2 campaign which ended with a district semifinal loss to nemesis Hudson.
This season, the trio of senior Katee Wensinger (16 goals), junior Abbie Lawson (12) and sophomore Ashley Pryce (8) has totaled 36 goals and 18 assists.
After a scoreless first half at Twinsburg, Lawson scored in the first minute of the second half on a direct kick that should have been fielded by the Tiger goalkeeper. Earlier, Lawson had hit the post on a free kick so the general feeling was that things had evened themselves out.
The second tally came after Wensinger pushed the ball down the right wing and delivered a perfect cross to Lawson for an easy finish.
“Katee made an awesome run down the side,” Lawson said. “I just made a run back post and she slotted the ball in and there’s a goal.”
Stow’s third goal was a smooth individual effort by Wensinger, cutting the ball back right to left and lining a shot just inside the far post from near the 18.
“This year, we are more possession oriented,” said Tipton, who has guided Stow to a 52-11-7 mark over the last four seasons. “We work the ball and we pick and choose when we want to be direct. Tonight was a perfect example of that. On the second goal we weren’t very direct. It was basically just a great soccer play: take it down the flank, cross it in on the ground and finish it.
“But in the past we’ve been very direct with our play, which is why Vickie and Marena had a lot of those goals.”
Havas, who tallied 87 career goals, now plays at Northern Arizona University.
When asked about the goal scoring power lost to graduation, Wensinger had a simple answer: “We’ve stepped up.”
With 36 career goals herself, and after focusing on defense last season, Wensinger has committed to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and play soccer for the RedHawks.
“We’re very athletic and very speedy, especially on the wings and up top,” Tipton said. “We replaced Marena’s speed with Ashley’s (Pryce) speed, which is nice to have. She is only a sophomore and she’ll have two more years to hone her technical game. But, Ashley is a work-in-progress. She has surprised a lot of people so far this year. I believe she has eight goals. I can’t wait to see the progress she makes over the next two years.”
First-year Twinsburg coach Chris Gentille, formerly at Ravenna, was not disappointed with his team’s play.
“We fought hard at the end,” he said. “We’re having trouble scoring and finishing our chances against good teams.”
With 4:39 left in the match, and trailing 3-0, the Tigers (8-5-1, 2-2-0) got on the board when freshman Susan D’Isidoro headed home sophomore Sarah Cook’s corner kick.
“I thought we had our chances though,” Gentille said. “We had good looks, one-on-one with the keeper. We had great corner-kick opportunities tonight. The bounces just aren’t going our way right now. We just have to fight through it.”
Stow junior sweeper Stef Keller can testify to Twinsburg’s effort after being knocked off her feet in a collision with a Tiger striker midway through the second half.
“Coach said we have to commit ourselves to the ball,” she said. “We have to do whatever we can.”
Keller may have been more of a ‘stopper’ on that play. However, she got up quickly and launched herself back into the fray.
It’s that kind of determination that has Stow’s Bulldogs believing this might be their year.
In other matches:
ELLET 1, OUR LADY OF THE ELMS 0. At Akron, the host Orangemen (5-9-0) got a goal from senior Mary Yakubik and an assist from sophomore Kendra Love in the victory over the Panthers (3-7-1).
CARDINAL MOONEY 3, CUYAHOGA VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 1. At Youngstown, junior Kayla Kutchin scored the lone goal for the Royals in the loss. CVCA slipped to 8-4-0.
Amy Vinopal scored twice, and Lindsey Parkins once for Cardinal Mooney (10-2-1).
GREEN 2, CLOVERLEAF 1. At Westfield, Twp., sophomore Melissa Harlock and junior Megan Woods each scored for the Bulldogs (2-10-1, 2-4-0).
Junior Katey Gokey scored for Cloverleaf (3-9-0, 1-5-0) on an assist from senior Alana Ferrante.
Janie Rodkey had an assist for Green.
CUYAHOGA FALLS 4, RAVENNA 2. At Ravenna, Maria Catanese and Emily Gall each scored twice for the Black Tigers.
Sophomore Justina Fortson scored two goals for Ravenna. Mandy Jones made six saves for the Ravens.
Tracy Stokich had four saves for Cuyahoga Falls.
HIGHLAND 6, TALLMADGE 0. At Tallmadge, the Hornets benefitted from a five-goal burst from senior Olivia Petek and shut out the Blue Devils.
Sophomore Amanda Schneigenberg also scored for Highland (8-3-2, 4-2-0).
Junior Courtney Kilway and senior Karly Salter combined for nine saves for Tallmadge (4-8-1, 1-5-0).
COPLEY 5, NORDONIA 0. At Copley Twp., senior Sasha Haverchak scored three goals to lead the Indians (7-5-3, 5-1-0).
Junior Amanda Revesz and senior Emma Fish also scored for Copley.
BUCKEYE 4, BROOKSIDE 0. Norah Barnes, Samantha Sibley, Sara Turner and Summer Setliff each scored goals in the shutout for the Bucks (9-5-0, 8-1-0).
REVERE 1, WADSWORTH 0. The host Minutemen got the match’s lone goal from sophomore Marissa Milazzo and handed the Grizzlies (9-2-0, 5-1-0) their first Suburban League setback.
Wadsworth’s Kailie Reed made 15 saves in goal.