The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
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Hornets wallop Dearborn 6-0, stay undefeated
Cooper's brace helps Saline to easy victory over Pioneers
By Kevin Korpal, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: April 17, 2008
The Saline girls' varsity soccer team hosted the Dearborn Pioneers April 10 amid driving rain and swirling winds. The weather, however, didn't affect the Hornets offense. They cruised to a 6-0 win over the Pioneers, increasing their record to 2-0-1.
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"I was a little concerned about Dearborn," Hornets coach David Tapping said. "We respect them. Last year they took us to overtime."
The outcome was the same as last year -- another mark in the win column and another shutout for junior goalie Hannah Ulrich, her third of the season.
"Hannah's just a great goalie," Tapping said.
Saline started the scoring just 10 minutes in to the game on a short kick by freshman Emilee Kaminski. Kaminski had entered the game less than a minute before she took advantage of an opening in the Dearborn defense.
The constant pressure of the Hornets offense eventually cracked the Pioneers defense again when senior Jena Cooper scored her first of two goals in the game. As both teams scrambled for possession of the ball, Cooper was able to get it past Madeline Franko minding the net for Dearborn.
As the first half was winding down, Saline sophomore Autumn Jacobs showed the intensity of the Hornets squad by scoring the third Saline goal of the game.
"We're playing extremely well," Tapping said. "We concentrate on attacking the net with a purpose. We're always gonna be in front of the goal."
Jacobs started the second half with her second goal of the game, extending Saline's lead to four.
After Cooper scored her second goal with more than 28 minutes left in the game, the Pioneers turned up the intensity. For the next 15 minutes, the ball remained on the Saline side of the field.
"We're returning 13 players this year -- nine of them are starters," Tapping said. "This defense has played together for three years. I'm confident in our defense."
With about 7 1/2 minutes left in the game, Saline made one final surge and scored on a high floater from junior Claire Phillips.
Tapping switched goalies after Saline's sixth goal, putting junior Angie Hollis in with seven minutes left in the game.
"When we control the middle (of the field), we control the game," Tapping said. "That's what we did, and we won the game."
Kevin Korpal is a freelance writer. He can be reached at kkorpal@emich.edu.
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