This did not count in the Oakland Activities Association vs. Whites ranking.
But don't tell that to goalie Eva Loisel.
The junior made a diving save and despite being brought down by an attack, did everything necessary to ensure the Birmingham Groves women's soccer team secured a 0-0 draw with rivals Birmingham Seaholm on Wednesday night. Ta.
She played as if the division depended on it. That's because it's time for Groves (6-4-1, 3-1-0) to return home to Seaholm (4-5-3, 1-3-0) in her May season. 14, it probably will be.
The Falcons are just one game behind White's Clarkston. With the league schedule coming to a close over the next three weeks, they will need to pick up as many points as possible to equal or surpass Wolves in first place.
Yes, this was technically a non-conference match, as both rivals prefer to play a home-and-home series every season. But Groves must be happy with how good Loisel is in high-pressure games.
more:Birmingham Groves women's soccer overcomes 'all the kinks' against elite opponents
“One of the things we don't have to worry about going into the game is our goalie,” first-year coach Reed Rosey said. “It's a breath of fresh air to have someone you can trust. She's not afraid to take shots. She's a great shot-stopper and knows her backline really well. It's been really good to have her. ”
It's not that Seaholm goalkeeper Sydney Ryan didn't play well. The senior made several clutch saves, including two soaring shots that would have given the Falcons a goal. However, this result was all thanks to Loisel. Because Maples dominated the offense.
They easily controlled 75% of the possession and created solid scoring chances. Taylor Hartwig and Katie Druillard took the ball 50-50 and started the attack first, then Kamryn Geller and Samantha Schickinger of the away team scored, scoring one after the other for Loiselle. made almost 12 saves.
And that was especially true in the second half, when Seaholm made adjustments to get more shot attempts, relying on his speed to get behind Groves' defenders and create one-on-ones.
With 37 minutes remaining, Loisel stopped the shot with just his fingertips, corralled the ensuing rebound and walked a tightrope just outside the goal line to prevent the score.
With 18 minutes remaining, she made a diving save to deny Seaholm's Eva Zimmer a perfect through ball that raced through the penalty area.
With four minutes left, in one of Sickinger's several close calls that night, she fired a laser at his chest at close range.
more:Photo: Birmingham Groves Women's Soccer vs. South Lyon
Then, with 30 seconds left, she managed to scoop up a shot at an awkward angle off the bounce to keep the score intact.
“She should be proud of herself for keeping her team in the game, because she did it almost single-handedly,” Seaholm coach Manuel Rodriguez said. “…There were some shot attempts at the end, but they were close. Really close. But she played great. She's a good goaltender.”
Not bad for a first-year starter, right?
Loisel credits her success as a direct result of her experience with the Michigan Hawks, one of the best travel programs in metro Detroit, and playing behind former Groves goaltender Kirsten Jasinski. That's what he said.
At 5-foot-7, it was easy for her to go from center back to full-time goalkeeper in the eighth grade. But that meant she had to play JV as a freshman and back up Jasinski as a sophomore.
With Jasinski lost to graduation, it's now Loisel's turn to become the starter.
more:Birmingham Seaholm girls soccer's starting goalkeeper hasn't played since fifth grade.
“I respected her and all the saves she made,” Loisel said. “I was always trying to recreate those saves and see if I could do it like she did. If I couldn't, I worked on it in practice. I think she was a good role model and I think her play will be great (for me) last year really helped me prepare for this year. ”
And Mr. Groves is benefiting from that.
The Falcons already have four shutouts, three of which have been wins. They then picked up three more wins in one-point games decided by Loisel's smart play near the net.
“There's a lot of pressure, but I've been playing for a while so I'm used to it,” she said. “But I also like the pressure of leading the team and encouraging the team.”
That will be needed when Groves takes on Seaholm in a rematch in two weeks. Not only is the pride of the rivalry at stake, but also the chance to win the league.
Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metropolitan Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on Twitter @folsombrandonj.
