Lima Shawnee junior forward Ella Moritz scored on a breakaway 32 seconds after the game as the Indians went on to shut out Bowling Green girls soccer, 3-0, in both teams’ season opener at Bobcat Stadium Saturday.

The Indians controlled possession for over 90% of the first 20 minutes, but the complexion of the game changed more toward BG’s favor as the game continued.

Even though BG has eight seniors, there are a lot of new faces on the varsity team, and coach Erica Kimple says her team needs to learn how to respond better out of the gate.

“When we started off the game giving the ball away on the kickoff and they score in the first 30 seconds, that’s going to change the game,” Kimple said.

“So we have to do a better job at the start of games having energy and having that responsibility and wanting to win in the first 30 seconds. Then, we had a nice little talk and then we had a nice second half looking to win. It was just hard by then.”

Shawnee outshot BG 10-3 in the first half, including 6-2 in shots on goal, but in the second half the Indians had just a 6-5 shot advantage with each team getting three shots on goal.

Shawnee got a second goal from sophomore forward Allie Robert on a high kick that went over BG freshman goalkeeper Kylah Crawford’s head with 24:18 remaining in the first half.

The Indians scored again on another high arcing 25-yard kick, this time by sophomore forward CeCe Schaaf less than 10 minutes into the second half, but more and more the Bobcats had their chances.

Freshman forward Caroline Newlove came off the bench to provide the first spark on a breakaway, but was stopped 20 yards in front of the goal by Shawnee junior netminder Harpe Bunke with 12 minutes remaining in the first half.

Later in the half, BG senior midfielder Ella Koester, one of the veterans on the squad, fired a 30-yard shot that struck the top crossbar, just missing the Bobcats’ first goal.

Kimple says the team has the ability to compete with quality opponents like Shawnee, it is just going to take the right “mindset.”

“We try to give them lots of opportunities in practice and lots of opportunities in our scrimmages to kind of get confident and comfortable,’ Kimple said.

“Right now they have the talent. They just have to get it out of their heads and have the mindset that they belong here and they can do it.”

Bobcats can contend

For Kimple, who previously coached at Rossford two years, this is her seventh year at BG and she now has a 42-53-5 record, but last year the Bobcats were runners-up in the Northern Lakes League Cardinal Division.

After the Bobcats finished 9-7-2 overall and 8-2 in the division, Kimple was named NLL Cardinal Coach of the Year. In 2021, she was named Northwest Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association Division I Coach of the Year.

There are 13 returning lettermen on this year’s team, including Koester, sophomore forward Alayna Mahan, senior defenseman Tessa kirchner, senior midfielder Claire Rieman and junior forward Josie Rigel.

Koester, who was second on the team in scoring with nine goals and dished out a school-record 10 assists last season, was a first team All-NLL Cardinal Division player. She has 13 goals and 13 assists for her career.

Kimple says Koester is the “strongest team leader” with “great soccer IQ and knows how to make passes and runs out of the middle.” She “can finish well with both feet from distance or close to goal.”

Kimple says Koester, a two-year captain, is a storybook comeback tale, overcoming multiple injuries.

“She missed her entire sophomore season with a broken femur and torn meniscus and then missed spring club and most of summer because of a broken ankle,” Kimple said.

“She is strong and physical and an excellent leader who just loves everything about soccer. She is looking to play at the next level but not committed. She dominates the middle of the field and knows how to become part of the attack.”

Kirchner was also a first team all-league selection and Rieman was second team.

Mahan, who Kimple says is “very fast and physical and seeks out finishing opportunities,” returns after scoring five goals with three assists last year.

Rigel has a “strong left foot, great ball control and decision making” and Rieman has “solid defense and is a (midfielder) who understands how to hold position and switch the field,” said Kimple.

Corinna Kramer, a starting sophomore midfielder, is “fantastic with the ball at her feet and knows how to make attacking runs,” said Kimple.

Kimple says Corinna Kramer and Rigel are two players who can make a difference on this team.

“Both had a ton of talent last year,” Kimple said. “Corinna as a freshman and Josie as a sophomore, but just lacked confidence. So far this year both have been playing with a ton of confidence and have been making a huge impact.”

On defense, Kirchner, senior Brianna Skaff, and senior Elena Kramer are “returning varsity starters all with a strong understanding of team defense and how to get forward into the attack.”

Kimple says that sophomore defender Leah Koester, who started Saturday, is the “one to watch,” adding she is “very aggressive and not afraid to put her body on the line to stop the attack.”

Crawford comes into the goalkeeper position bringing “great athleticism and shot stopping abilities.”

Freshman defender Hayley Baker “is fast and physical and has excellent footwork to help build from the back.”

Despite the slow start against a perennially-strong Shawnee team, Kimple is expecting her team to once again compete for a Cardinal Division title.

“I am expecting second but our goal is to finish first,” Kimple said. “Last year we struggled with Clay, so that is our biggest competition coming into this year.

“I am very happy with the NLL split (into big school and small school divisions last year). It has made the league competitive and gives our girls something attainable to reach towards,” Kimple continued. “Clay is always going to be strong, but I feel that we have a good chance of being in the top two at least.”

Kimple says her team’s strengths outweigh their weaknesses.

“We do a very good job possessing the ball. We have some strong goal scorers also,’ Kimple said. “Our biggest weakness in my opinion is confidence with the ball at our feet and not panicking when under pressure.”