Indians play to first district final

Expositor Sports Editor

TOLEDO - Wauseon scored twice in the first half Tuesday to beat Archbold for the second time this season and advance to their first Division II district final. With the 2-0 victory at rainy Ottawa Hills High School, the Indians will face Lake in the district final on Saturday.

"It was a typical Wauseon-Archbold match; very intense and hard fought," said Wauseon Coach Jerry Bowser. "I was pleased with the way our kids played overall. Our fullbacks as well as our midfielders and goal keeper played great defense and transitioned well from having the ball to not having the ball. Archbold is a very good team and to hold them scoreless was big."

Janelle Shaw's first goal of the game got the ball rolling for the Indians. She scored about 13 minutes in for a 1-0 advantage.

"A key moment in the game for us was Shaw's first goal," said Bowser. "At this level of soccer, scoring first is at a premium because now it takes two goals to beat you. And it gives you momentum."

Shaw added an insurance goal later in the half. She took a sliding shot that went past the keeper and into the corner of the net for a 2-0 advantage with 8:37 remaining in the opening half.

Archbold tried to counter as Sierra Nofziger sent the ball deep into Wauseon's end of the field, but the Streaks could not finish. The Indians defense and goalkeeping came up big all night.

In addition to the Shaw goal, Bowser said that three "great saves" by Megan Fields were also key.

There was a scary moment early in the second half Archbold star Alicia Drewes hit the turf hard after a collision while going up for a header. She remained on the field for several minutes and was taken away by ambulance.

The Blue Streaks played hard without Drewes, putting the pressure on the Indian defense. Nofziger took a free kick just outside the goal box, but her shot was tipped just over the net by Fields.

After that it was Wauseon who had two near misses. They had one goal waived off because of a push. Then Meghan Rice took a free kick which slipped through the keeper's hands and almost into the goal.

"I am very proud of our girls," Bowser said. "They have put the time and work in. We talked about getting to this point all year and now we have the chance to achieve one of our big goals- a district title."

The Indians (14-2-3) will play Lake (17-1-1), who beat Oak Harbor 2-1, at Lake High School Saturday at 2 p.m. Wauseon handed the Flyers their only loss of the season on Sept. 15. The Indians won 2-0, which is the most goals Lake has given up in a game this season.