Since the inception of the Metro Athletic Conference tournament, the Streetsboro Rockets girls’ soccer team has always played in some high-pressure matches. Streetsboro secured its third appearance in the MAC title match when it shut out Field 1-0 last Thursday night at Rocket Stadium’s Quinn Field.
“The girls earned it with how hard they played on Thursday night, and you like to see the kind of effort that we had on Thursday night rewarded,” said Coach Ryan Willard. “We have played each other eight times over four years and you always know that those games will be tough.”
In a rematch of last year’s MAC Championship, should the Rockets (12-3-1, 8-1-) prevail against Cloverleaf on Thursday night, they will have earned a share of the MAC title. The Colts already have snagged a share of the banner, having gone undefeated in conference play during the regular season.
Since the MAC tournament began in 2021, the Rockets have advanced to the championship match in three of last four seasons, but Field had always gotten in their way in the first two years, having lost to the Falcons in the MAC Championship in 2021 and then the semifinal match in 2022.
After a 2-0 victory against Field last year, Streetsboro’s defense once again was the hero, shutting out their MAC rivals 1-0 last Thursday night.
“Field’s senior class has been incredibly impactful and so they have had a role for all four seasons,” noted the 17th-year coach. “I went and actually spoke to their team a little bit after the game on Thursday night of how they have a special group and how fun it has been to play against them over the last four years, but it has created a rivalry for sure.”
After a scoreless stalemate in the first half, the Rockets scored the decisive goal in the second half when a well-placed throw-in landed at the feet of senior forward Lydia Schofield inside the box, who promptly scored the go-ahead goal in the 50th minute of regulation.
Willard acknowledged that scoring the first goal of the match was huge for Streetsboro, but it was their response after taking the lead that mattered because of Field’s depth of scoring options.
“They have a few really good players that can hurt you and really score really quickly but I felt confident going into the game we would win the possession battle because that is something we are a little stronger in,” he noted.
According to Willard, the Falcons’ biggest strength was their ability to score in transition, but Streetsboro’s defense limited Field’s breakaway opportunities, only surrendering three shots at the goal in the match with each shot being from long-distance.
Willard said that the Rockets’ defense became stronger as the match went on.
“We were able to keep the ball in front of us instead of having to chase back balls that are getting through or scoring opportunities and one of the things that Field is really good at is that they can take throw-ins and throw them as far as most people can kick the ball,” he said.
Willard also credited junior defensive midfielder Addison Mrakovich for shutting down the Falcons’ top scorer, senior Delilah Rahe. In both games against Field this year, the Rockets held Rahe scoreless.
The Falcons finally had a chance to convert a transition goal off of a throw in in the final few seconds of the game, but Streetsboro’s defense recovered in time to extinguish the threat and clinch another berth in the MAC Championship.
A season removed from setting a school record with the most shutout victories in a season, the Rockets’ defense has only recorded four shutout wins this season but has not allowed two or more goals in all but one of its matches this year.
Streetsboro has yet to allow a goal in the MAC tournament this year and has surrendered only two goals in its last three matches.
“I have great kids back there and I have to ask a lot of them because I don’t sub too many defenders out because I think the chemistry is incredibly important back there but junior Zoie Dunn, sophomore Carmen Marcini, junior Tea Nagle and sophomore Lyra Sadowski have honestly been fantastic over the last couple of weeks,” Willard said.
Following the MAC title match, Streetsboro begins play in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division III playoffs. If the Rockets defeat Medina Buckeye in the sectional championship on Monday evening, it would face either Beaumont or Alliance in the semifinal on Oct. 21 beginning at 7 p.m.
