Plymouth edges Salem in thrilling Kickin’ Cancer fundraiser game
Plymouth sophmore keeper Leyana Hussein launches a goal kick Friday night.
The High School Soccer Gods apparently have it written in stone that every single game featuring two Plymouth-Canton Educational Park girls soccer teams will come down to the absolute final thrilling second.
On Friday night on the P-CEP grass field, Plymouth used a perfectly-executed goal — a Kenleigh Ball header from 10 yards out off a textbook centering pass from Ivy Turnquist — to survive a frantic Salem comeback effort and pull out a 2-1 victory.
The Wildcats evened their KLAA West Division ledger at 2-2, while the Rocks slipped to 1-2 in the division.
Friday’s victory was redemption, of sorts, for Plymouth, which finished 0-2-1 (including a 2-1 district loss) one year ago against the Rocks, who advanced to the Division 1 semifinal round.
Game raised $4,600 for awesome charity
While the triumph was huge for the Wildcats, they weren’t the only winners.
The annual Kickin’ Cancer game raised $4,600 for the Shedneck Foundation, a local non-profit that raises funds for local youths who are battling cancer.
Friday’s game was scoreless until the 6:37 mark of the first half when Plymouth senior Victoria Powell hammered home a rebound shot to give the the ‘Cats a 1-0 lead.
Plymouth used phenomenal goal-keeping by sophomore Leyana Hussein and some uncharacteristic close-range misfires by Rock forwards to secure its precarious lead until Ball’s rocket found the back of the net with just 23:10 left to extend the hosts lead to 2-0.
Plymouth’s keeper was brilliant
Hussein’s first of multiple acrobatic saves unfolded mid-way through the first half when she dove to stop Salem junior Audrey Krischano’s dangerous attempt from 15 yards out.
With 32 minutes remaining in the game, Hussein struck again, hitting the soggy field to detonate a dangerous doorstep scrum following a Salem corner kick.
Two-to-zip leads with less than 20 minutes left are usually pretty safe when two quality teams like Salem and Plymouth square off — but not Friday night.
Krischano cashes in
With 18:36 remaining on the clock, Krischano scored on a high-arcing shot that hit both posts before rolling across the goal line.
Moments earlier, the Rocks missed two golden opportunities to deadlock the game, but their shots missed the net.
There was rarely a dull moment throughout the game’s final 10 minutes as Salem pressed mightily to net the equalizer, but Hussein and the Wildcats’ defenders kept their net empty with clutch efforts.
Shining for the Rocks in the setback were seniors Katie Sarkesian and Cali Schwartzenberger, and junior goal-keeper Addison Messer.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
