Way too much

Jay County found some life on offense.

It got its first goal from the field in the 148th minute of the season.

And it put pressure on its conference rival down the stretch.

It was not enough to overcome Nin Way.

Jay County High School’s girls soccer team gave up a hat trick to Way in the first half and came up short to the Heritage Patriots for the second time in three days Saturday, 3-2.

“I thought we looked better offensively today than we did on Thursday against them,” said JCHS coach Kendra Muhlenkamp, whose team lost 1-0 to Heritage on Thursday in Monroeville. (A new wrinkle to the schedule this year has Allen County Athletic Conference rivals playing two games apiece against each other.) “We’re just having a hard time connecting and crashing the goal. That’s what’s really hurting us on the offensive side.”

Way’s tally with 3 minutes, 55 seconds, left in the first half gave the visitors a 3-1 lead Saturday that stood until the host Patriots broke through with 11:13 left in the game. It was the second year in a row in which Jay County found itself trailing Heritage by two. But this time a comeback to at least force overtime was not to be.

The home team tried, as Jenna Dues sent a pass forward to fellow junior Morgan DeHoff after more than 32 scoreless minutes. DeHoff took advantage of the breakaway and beat Heritage goalie Corinne Bowers to close the gap to a single goal.

It was the first of the season for JCHS (0-2, 0-2 ACAC) from regular play, as its first-half goal came on an Aixa Lopez penalty kick.

DeHoff had another chance seven minutes later, but her shot attempt to the left corner deflected off of senior defender Piper Pierce and just wide of the right post.

Heritage (2-1, 2-0 ACAC) was able to hang on for another one-goal win over Jay County, finishing the game off when junior Ava Smith beat Molly Muhlenkamp to the ball near midfield and booted it deep to run out what was left of the clock.

“We came out and played really hard,” said first-year Heritage coach Kyleigh Gay. “I knew it was going to be a tough game after winning on Thursday only 1-0. I figured they would come out and they would change what they had to and we would change what we had to and it would be a tough game.

“They’re always a tough game.”

Emma Hatzell of Jay County High School boots a ball downfield Saturday during the girls soccer match against Heritage. Jay County lost the match 3-2, falling by one goal for the second time in three days against Heritage. (The Commercial Review/Ray Cooney)

 

As has been the case so far this year for Heritage, the offense revolved around Way. She sent a loose ball to the right corner just 1:33 into the game and then broke past Jayla Huelskamp and Ellie Wendel on an assist from Rosalina Medina midway through the half before sending a shot to the left corner past goalie Angel Clairday.

After Lopez closed the gap to 2-1 — her PK goal came after Heritage was called for a hand ball in the 18-yard box — Way took a pass from Medina, worked toward the left side of the box and then tapped a shot back to the right corner for the two-goal advantage.

“She did awesome coming off of a little bit of a hurt ankle,” said Gay. “She created the space that she needed to.

“She is able to create the offense herself, which has been such a good help for us.”

Way, who had one goal and two assists against JCHS in a 4-3 overtime Heritage victory last season, has scored all six of her team’s goals through its first three games of 2023. (She tallied the only goal of Thursday’s game in the opening five minutes.)

Jay County had its fair share of scoring chances in the second half while moving Muhlenkamp back on defense to limit Way’s touches. Lopez split the defense around the 28-minute mark only to have Bowers make a one-handed lunging save and then had a try midway through the half go just high over the right corner of the goal.

And, at times, the host Patriots were a bit timid on 50/50 balls and opportunities to crash the net.

“And I expect that for being the second game of the season,” said Muhlenkamp. “They really need to just play that it’s someone that they’re playing against and if they don’t win this ball it could result in us losing.”