The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
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Hornets draw Stevenson
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: March 29, 2007
The 2007 Saline girls' soccer season didn't kick off with a victory, as the Hornets drew 1-1 with visiting Livonia-Stevenson Monday night.
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But that didn't mean head coach Dave Tapping wasn't more than satisfied with his team's performance. The Hornets fell behind 1-0 before Kellie Stepaniak equalized with a first-half free-kick goal and held on under mounting Stevenson pressure in the second half for what Tapping said was the team's first-ever result against the Spartans.
"I don't think we've ever even tied Stevenson before," he said afterward. "I thought we came out inspired tonight. I loved the way we won the 70/30 balls and had so many positive combinations. I'm very proud of the way we played."
Stevenson finished 2006 ranked No. 8 and took advantage of what seemed to be some opening-night jitters on the part of the Hornets in the early going. Less than four minutes in, the Stevenson forwards combined for a breakaway goal from Kat Griffith and a quick 1-0 lead.
The lead was nearly doubled at the 32:51 mark as a Stevenson through-ball split the Hornet defense and led to a Stevenson penalty kick. But the kick sailed high and the lead remained at one.
Saline began to get their legs under them and before long Stevenson paid for the missed PK opportunity. With 30 minutes left in the half pressure from Saline forward Jena Cooper resulted in some confusion in the Spartan backline and a near own-goal.
Further Hornet pressure four minutes later produced a foul on the right side of the Stevenson box and Stepaniak stepped forward to take the free kick. With the Spartan defense focused on the possibility of a cross, Stepaniak's shot over the top of the Spartan wall seemed to catch goalkeeper Amanda Keedle off guard. The shot squirted out of Keedle's grasp and trickled into the side netting for Saline's first goal of the year and a tie score.
With sophomore midfielder Meredith Faas taking increasing control of the central midfield, Saline continued to press forward and forced a handful of corner kicks late in the half. One with 14:30 left fell to junior Andrea Sulavik, whose volley from 10 yards missed high.
"I thought Faas and Sulavik were incredible," Tapping said. "They really held down the middle for us."
Stevenson was able to seize momentum with a shot that whistled wide at the first-half buzzer and continued to carry play throughout the second half as the Hornet midfield began to tire and Faas eventually suffered from cramps.
Unfortunately for the Spartans, Saline senior goalkeeper Mackenzie Gilmore was ready to turn away a number of shots, including a pivotal breakaway save with 35:49 to play in the game.
A wide-open Stevenson shot from six yards went wide with 15 minutes remaining and a late series of corners amounted to nothing as Saline defenders Monica Mezger, Angie Hollis, Claire Phillips and others held firm. Time eventually ran out on the Stevenson attack and Saline had held on for the draw.
"Obviously there are some things we need to work on defensively, and it would be nice to have a little more scoring opportunities. We need to get the ball to our outside midfielders more," Tapping said. "But coming against a good team like Stevenson, we've got a lot we can build on. I'm very happy with our team."
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