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Banged up Lady Tigers fall to state-ranked Rosecrans

RON JOHNSTON The Marietta Times Marietta’s Hunter Welch, right, battles Rosecrans’ Drew Ridenour for the ball during a high school girls soccer match Tuesday at Jerry Brock Field in Devola. Rosecrans won, 3-1.

DEVOLA — Marietta High was not at full strength.

Even with three starters unable to play because of injuries, the Tigers still gave D3, fifth-ranked Bishop Rosecrans High a battle, but ultimately lost the war, 3-1, Tuesday night in an East Central Ohio League girls soccer match at Jerry Brock Field.

MHS was missing Macy Kendall, Kyleigh Lewis, and Kaleigh Stewart.

“We’re limited in our personnel right now, and over a period of games, it wears you down,” said Marietta coach Jeff Price. “When we get some people back, we’ll be able to rest some people once in a while.”

Marietta, now 7-3-1 overall on the season, led 1-0 at the half, but faded fast after the break as the Bishops won going away. Lexie Mullen had the Tigers lone goal with Embrey Roberts getting an assist.

“We had them (Rosecrans) for a half,” Price said, “but we wanted to get them for the second half, too.

“I thought we did fine, but it’s disappointing that we were ahead and didn’t keep the lead. Still, that’s a quality team we were up against.”

The undefeated Bishops improved their record to 11-0-1. Their lone “blemish” was a 0-0 tie to Zanesville High.

Against the Tigers in the second half, Chloe Amich scored two goals, and Kailey Zemba had one. Kylan Harper added an assist.

“This might have been the first one where we’ve had to come from behind to win this season,” said Rosecrans boss Tom Hutcheson. “I was a little disappointed the way they played in the first half. We’re a top-5 state ranked team, and I expect these ladies to play that way for 80 minutes. We didn’t have that tonight. We had 40 minutes but not 80 minutes.”

Marietta got on the board in the third minute of play when Roberts surged on the left wing and crossed the ball to Mullen, who beat Bishops keeper Allison Losco with a shot into the back of the net.

“You would’ve thought that would’ve woke them up, but it took them a while,” Hutcheson said.

The action was pretty much end-to-end in the opening half.

After the break, Rosecrans was more offensive-minded and had Marietta on its heels.

“I had to switch our formation a little bit to get more attack,” Hutcheson said. “They (Tigers) played flat-back 4, but they had six and maybe even more back there. So, I wanted us to really attack that, and push them back with the dribble, and then try to play the through-ball or play over the top to the corners. It seemed to work the second half.”

During the 45th minute, Rosecrans senior Abby Hutcheson hit the crossbar with a long, perimeter shot.

A couple of minutes later, Harper drilled a hard shot that MHS keeper Brookelyn Heiss saved but fumbled. Getting the rebound and tying the score was Amich.

“Unfortunately, the one that Brooke just couldn’t hold onto the thing…it had an affect on both teams,” Price said. “It lifted their spirits and put a damper on ours.”

In the 52nd minute, Rosecrans tooks its first lead, 2-1, when Zemba headed home Harper’s loft from the right flank.

Just a minute or so before, Zemba was foiled on a breakaway by Heiss, who came out to make a nice save.

“So, then we started pressing some things, especially after they got the second goal,” Price said. “And, we’re just a little depleted.”

Amich scored an insurance goal on a long, angled shot from the right side of the pitch with 8:36 remaining in the contest.

“We just like to keep it interesting, I guess,” Tom Hutcheson said. “Marietta had a couple of really good, fast girls (Mullen and Roberts) up top there. So, I kind of exposed us a little bit going with just three (defenders) in the back. Our girls handled it.”

 


Bishop Rosecrans girls 3, Marietta 1

Rosecrans (11-0-1) 0 3 — 3

Marietta (7-3-1) 1 0 — 1

M: Lexie Muller, assist Embrey Roberts, 3rd minute

R: Chloe Amich, unassisted, 45th minute

R: Kailey Zemba, assist Kylan Harper, 46th minute

R: Amich, unassisted, 71st minute

Shots: R 21, M 13; Keeper saves: R (Allison Losco) 10, M (Brookelyn Heiss) 9; Corner kicks: R 5, M 0

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