Girl’s Soccer: Chemics blank Chargers 1-0, advance in post-season play

by Alex Baumgardner

The Midland High girls’ soccer team got the best of Dow yet again this season, defeating the Chargers 1-0 Tuesday at H.H. Dow High School to advance in post-season play.

The game’s only goal came at the 26:45 mark of the first half when Midland’s Rebekah Dornbos was awarded a penalty kick. She launched a low shot past the outstretched arms of Dow goalie Alyssa Bobasek which snuck inside the right post to make it 1-0.

And that is where it would stay.

The rest of the way the game proved to be a physical contest, with neither team really gaining a decisive edge. Both the Chemics and Chargers finished the evening with three shots on goal.

“It was a Dow High-type game,” said Midland coach Dick Campbell said. “[But] you don’t want to see a game decided on a penalty kick.”

That penalty kick was one of a number of calls the Chargers deemed questionable on the night, as head coach Tom Miller felt the officiating played a part in the game’s outcome.

“It’s very frustrating,” he said. “I thought our kids played hard, I thought it was a good game. It’s too bad the game had to be decided on bad officiating.”

Miller also admitted, though, that his team’s lack of offense was the deciding factor as Midland shut out his team for the third time this season.

“It’s just hard to come back from that, when you don’t score a lot of goals in the first place,” Miller said. “We haven’t scored a lot of goals all season, and that showed today, but we shut them down.”

The Chargers weren’t completely without scoring opportunities, however. As the 20-minute mark drew near in the first half, junior forward Paige Piper found herself in a one-on-one situation with Chemics’ junior goalkeeper Erin Jagodzinski. Jagodzinski came out of her goal box and challenged Piper, making what ended up being a game-saving stop. The Chargers had a few other chances later, but could never convert.

Despite the loss, Miller said Tuesday’s game was the best his team played against the Chemics this season as they finished with an overall record of 10-7-2.

“I think we’re playing our best soccer at this time of the year,” Miller said. “Midland High is a tough team. I thought you saw two good teams out there working hard. But that’s how it goes every year. One team wins and one team loses.”

Midland improves to 16-2-2 on the season.

“We just want to keep the momentum going,” Campbell said of his Chemics, who will host Bay City Western Thursday at Midland Stadium. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.