Surging Salem rocks Monroe, advances to soccer’s Elite 8
Salem’s Aubrey Krischano dribbles the ball up the field against a Monroe defender during Tuesday’s 6-1 Rock victory.
Of the eight teams remaining in the race for the MHSAA Division 1 girls soccer title, none have been hotter than unbeaten Saline and on-a-roll Salem, which has won eight of its past 10 matches while allowing just one goal in its previous 240 minutes of action.
The Rocks kept their season alive Tuesday night at Dearborn High School with an emphatic 6-1 victory over Monroe.
The Hornets, who have allowed five goals total so far in their 19-0-2 season, mercied Grosse Pointe South, 8-0, in Tuesday’s first regional semifinal game.
Salem is no stranger to sidelining top-ranked teams as it is just one year removed from knocking off then-No. 2-ranked Ann Arbor Skyline, 1-0, in a regional semifinal triumph that led to a march to the Final Four.
‘All-out effort’ needed to subdue Hornets
What’s it going to take for the Rocks to complete a second straight mini-upset against Saline Thursday at 7 p.m. at Dearborn High?
“It’s going to take an all-out effort on our part,” said senior mid-fielder Katie Sarkesian, who has been instrumental in the Rocks’ two-year stretch of success from her mid-field position.
“We’re going to have to give 110% effort and leave it all on the field.”
Salem Head Coach Kyle Karns, who witnessed Saline’s Tuesday night rout of GPS, concurred with his senior captain.
“Saline is as good as their record indicates,” Karns acknowledged. “We’re going to have to be very sharp and dial it up a little bit.”
Golden goals
Along with its air-tight defense, Salem’s forte throughout its late-season success has been scoring stylish goals that involve multiple passes and/or spectacular shot placement.
The Rocks’ first goal in the game’s 15th minute against Monroe would fall into the spectacular shot placement category.
Senior mid-fielder Isabelle Prantera rainbowed a 10-yard chip from a tough angle near the west sideline out of Monroe keeper Alex Younglove’s reach and inside the far post.
Salem led 2-0 at the half thanks to freshman Stella Stotz net-finder 12:47 before the break. Stotz would light up the scoreboard again on a sizzling header off a textbook corner kick from Adeline Jones.
Multiple scoring threats
Aubrey Krischano, Lauren Fowler and Alik Yeremian also scored for the winners, whose effort was strong across the pitch.
“I thought our defense did a great job of getting the ball to the mid-fielders, who found the open forwards,” noted Sarkesian. “Our team play was the game-changer tonight.”
When asked which of his team’s six goals was most pivotal, Karns said each one was memorable in its own right.
“Although the first one is always nice because it kind of gets us going,” he added.
Younglove played awesome in a losing cause, turning away at least five Salem shots that appeared headed for the back of the net.
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
