Perrysburg’s Emma Ogdahl strikes a shot in the first half of the Yellow Jackets’ 3-1 Division I district final win over Findlay Saturday. (Nicholas Huenefeld | Sentinel-Tribune)
By Nicholas Huenefeld
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
The Perrysburg girls soccer team scored twice early and got a game-sealing goal late from Emma Ogdahl to produce a 3-1 win over Findlay in a Division I district final at Bowling Green High School’s Bobcat Stadium on Saturday.
“Having two weeks off and this being our first game back was a factor,” Perrysburg junior midfielder Adyson Brown said. “We just came out with a hard intensity and played as a team, and our chemistry really helped us know where we can have success.”
With the victory, the Yellow Jackets (13-4-1) advance to face Dublin Jerome (15-0-3) in a regional semifinal on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Sunbury.
It will be the program’s second consecutive trip to regional play.
“This is where we want to be every year, to just go out there and advance in the tournament,” Perrysburg coach Jorge Diaz said. “Dublin Jerome is a very good team and a big game for us. We’ll head to Columbus and hopefully do our best.”
Perrysburg’s Lauren McConnachie scored in unassisted fashion in the game’s third minute, and the Yellow Jackets had several looks in the ensuing minutes before Sophie Mitchell gave the squad a two-goal lead with 24:31 left in the half.
Over the next 20 minutes, Ogdahl had a couple of chances along with shots on goal from Kylie Haye and Aliyah Chambers, but none went in.
Findlay (6-12-1), which had just two shots prior, took advantage as Danielle Tisdale scored with 1:49 before the half.
Ogdahl added another shot, which went high, with 32 seconds left as Perrysburg took a 2-1 lead into the break. Brown, who tallied a helper on Mitchell’s goal, picked up her second assist on the play.
“We decided we were going to score two goals and then play everybody,” Diaz said. “That’s what we did. (Findlay) had an opportunity to score and that was exciting for them. They played their best game.
“In the second half, they were playing very well on defense, and we decided we were going to get a score. That gave us peace.”
Over the first 31 minutes of the second half, Perrysburg had 11 shots, but just two were on frame.
That’s when Ogdahl sealed things, taking a pass from Brown and delivering a two-goal lead for the Yellow Jackets.
“I got a great ball from Brownie,” Ogdahl said. “I decided the side that I was going to shoot on originally, which was the right side, was looking a little clustered, so I thought if I could pull it back and then open up to the other side, I’d have a wide open shot.
“Once I kind of broke it down and picked my head up to look at the goal, I could see that there was more open space. That’s kind of what I’ve been trying to work on is finding the open space, getting my head up and making an educated play.”
After sweeping Findlay by a combined 15-0 score in the regular season, Perrysburg played around 33 minutes on Saturday with just a one goal lead, and Ogdahl said the third goal calmed everyone down.
“I think we all knew if we got another goal, it would seal the deal, so it was a goal that we were all motivated to get,” she said. “Once we got it, I think we could all calm down and just play the way we know how to play and the way we’ve been training.”
Diaz was impressed with the play of his midfielders.
“Brownie and Kendyl did a good job distributing the ball,” he said. “Findlay was wise. They closed the middle of the field, so we needed to go wide to create opportunities, and our midfielders did a nice job.”
