Chargers tie Chemics on last-minute goal

Dow High was a little short on firepower but not short on resilience Wednesday night.

With star forward Melanie Kolnitys sidelined with an apparent knee injury, the Chargers erased an early two-goal deficit, then later netted a goal in the closing seconds to earn a hard-fought and wildly exciting 3-3 tie against visiting Midland High in Saginaw Valley League girls’ soccer.

“It was a great finish. We kept fighting toward the end. … That was important for our team,” said Dow coach Spencer Sandow, whose Chargers stand at 6-0-2 overall and 5-0-1 in the Valley.

“ … It definitely felt like a win even though it was a tie. With that result, we control our own destiny for the rest of the league season, so it was important for us to keep pushing and get that goal there at the end,” he added.

Midland coach Ricco Barassi had a considerably different take on the outcome, noting that he felt robbed by some bad breaks and a controversial call.

“The girls are playing really well. That’s just how they play. They play off each other. They know where they’re going,” said Barassi, whose Chemics stand at 5-1-2 overall and 3-1-1 in the league. “ … They’re just playing with desire. Today should’ve been our game.”

After a slow start and nary a shot on goal in the opening minutes, Kolnitys went down hard in the 17^th minute and, after lying on the field in obvious pain for an extended stretch, eventually limped off the field and never returned.

“It was tough. Melanie gives us a lot of good, hard work up there, so when she went down, it was tough to see,” Sandow said. “But the team really rallied around and kept working, and Melanie will definitely be in our thoughts.”

In the 21^st minute, the Chemics hit paydirt on their first shot on goal. Ellary Laverty sent a long shot from the left wing into the box, and Dow goalkeeper Avery Lehman misplayed the bounce, allowing the ball to get past her and into the net for a 1-0 Midland lead.

In a crazy 36^th minute, the action really ratcheted up.

First, Lehman came off her line and stuffed Kennedy Thurlow deep in the box, but, seconds later, Midland’s Lizzy Striebel drilled a shot into the top left corner of the net from 20 yards out to make it 2-0.

Only seconds after that, however, the Chargers answered when Allie Stockton’s shot from 10 yards out bounced off of Midland keeper Niobe Marchalant’s hands and trickled into the net to make it 2-1.

With Midland still leading by one heading into the second half, both teams had some great opportunities in the opening minutes of the half.

First, in the 44^th minute, Lehman made a nice diving save on a hard shot by Laverty. Then, in the 56^th minute, Dow’s Sydney Lambert served a long ball into the box, but Riley Schikorra’s shot from close range clanged off the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Dow’s Mallory Brandt weaved through traffic in the box and got off a nice diagonal shot which caromed off the left post.

In the 67^th minute, though, Brandt made good on her next attempt, fighting through contact twice, drawing Marchalant off her line, and punching it home from close range to tie the game.

Then, five minutes later, controversy struck.

Striebel took a long shot for the Chemics which Lehman saved with a lunging effort, but Alahna Beckett chipped the rebound into an open net for an apparent lead. The goal was waved off, however, by an offside call.

“They called her offside, but, I’m sorry, she wasn’t. … I can assure you my salary that she was not offside,” Barassi said, adding of the Chargers, “ … They can celebrate all they want, but they know. They know that should’ve been a 4-1 game.”

In the 75^th minute, Beckett struck again. And this time, it counted.

Reagan Vokal played a long ball ahead to an open Beckett, who charged past a defender and drew Lehman off her line. Beckett then deked Lehman and planted the ball into an open net for a 3-2 Midland edge.

“Alahna Beckett, I think, is one of the best forwards in the Valley. … She’s sitting right now on 13 goals in seven games,” Barassi noted.

The Chargers answered by upping the tempo and putting pressure on Midland’s defense, and, with only 29 seconds remaining, they nearly tied it. Marchalant, however, made a leaping save on a long free kick by Lambert to preserve the lead momentarily.

Only 11 seconds later, Dow’s Aubree Bills served a long ball into the box, and Stockton headed it in from close range to tie the game and set off a jubilant celebration on the Chargers’ sideline with 18 seconds remaining.

Both teams finished with 13 shots overall and nine shots on goal. Lehman had six saves for Dow, while Marchalant had four saves and backup goalie Cady McPeak added two saves for the Chemics.

“We came in knowing it was going to be a good game,” Sandow said. “They thought they were going to be better than us, so we’ve been talking the past couple of days about making sure we come out and show them what Dow High soccer is about.”

“This is still a very growing team. The bulk of the team (are underclassmen). I have three seniors, and the bulk of the team are juniors,” Barassi said. “ … It’s a good team. They play well. They know each other. They’re very good to each other.

“ … They (Dow) are lucky that we don’t play them again in districts, because I think the girls are angry right now,” he added. “I pity the next team we play.”

Midland will host Flushing on Friday, while Dow will host Hartland the same day.