What the Ravenna Ravens girls’ soccer team lacked in roster size, they make up for with hustle and grit. The Ravens played to a 1-1 tie against Metro Athletic Conference rival Woodridge last Thursday evening at Lahoski Field in Peninsula.
“We scored our goal early, but I think Woodridge was greatly outshooting us,” noted Coach Alaina Davis. “We played a lot of defenses in that game. These girls are in pain, but they want to play so bad and so hard for their team, so it was just amazing to see people push through their own struggles for the good of the team and play their hearts out.”
Although Ravenna (2-5-2, 0-3-1-) remained winless in MAC play, the Ravens were resilient in a match where they were short-handed and survived a relentless attack from Woodridge, snapping a trend of suffering three losses in its last four matches.
On Thursday evening, Ravenna struck quickly in the fifth minute of regulation as senior forward Adelina Wunderle scored on a breakaway goal off an assist from senior center midfielder Ella Ribelin.
After Ribelin threaded a through ball to Wunderle, the Ravens’ senior drilled the shot from the top of the box, pushing Ravenna ahead 1-0.
“It was enough to slip through and get by,” noted the second-year coach. “Ella played Adelina through and then Adelina had a bit of dribbling to do, and she found the bottom left corner of the net”
Woodridge pulled even with the Ravens inside the 35th minute of play, as junior forward Greta Klingensmith slipped behind Ravenna’s defensive back line and delivered the equalizer off an assist from senior midfielder Emma Hovey, tying the match at 1-1.
Davis acknowledged Woodridge dominated possession throughout the entirety of the match, as the Ravens frequently switched formations and player positions. She added that at certain points, Ravenna could only run 10 players on the field as it was undermanned due to injury.
In spite of the Ravens’ thin depth, Ravenna’s defense still persevered, withstanding 13 Woodridge shots on goal to preserve the tie.
Junior goalkeeper Lily Armstrong anchored the Ravens’ defensive stand, recording 13 saves in the match.
“That is no easy thing to do,” said Davis. “They had a lot of blocked shots themselves before they would even get to Lily sometimes. A good number managed to slip through or they would shoot a bit further out. Our defense would keep them out, but they would just try from further out. There are a few where she made phenomenal saves.”
Ravenna’s winless streak may have reached three consecutive games, but Davis said that the Ravens earned redemption against the Bulldogs, marking the first time they it did not suffer a defeat against Woodridge since the teams became league rivals in 2020. Davis added that the current Ravens avenged last year’s pair of defeats by Woodridge, as the Bulldogs defeated them once in the regular season and once in the MAC tournament.
While the Ravens’ offensive chances were few and far between in the match after Wunderle’s initial goal, Davis praised Ravenna’s defensive work. The Ravens enjoyed their best defensive performance in over a week, surrendering 11 goals combined in its last two matches.
“They were doing a great job at getting up when they could but getting right back and defending on top of our defense. Sort of giving them a break now and then,” Davis said.
Ravenna returns nine players from last year’s starting 11 and has been fueled by the senior class of Riblein, Wunderle, center midfielder Neveah Marstiller and forward Luciana Rios.
Davis said that it has been a strong blend of experience and youth, as she has switched players at different positions throughout the season, including ensuring the Ravens are strongest at the center of the field, with Rios, Wunderle and Ribelin usually occupying the roles of center back and midfielder.
“Adelina and Ella have been scoring a lot of our goals, so right up the center is where I put my strongest girls from center backs to center midfielders to center forwards,” she said.
Davis highlighted that she has turned to some younger players as well with Ravenna’s slew of injuries, with freshman outside midfielder Kali Andrews and sophomore center back Emelia Franklin seeing significant varsity time.
Following a road league duel against Portage County rival Kent Roosevelt on Tuesday night and a home match against MAC foe Norton on Thursday evening, the Ravens will face league rival Cloverleaf in Lodi at Gene Clark Stadium on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.
