FeedsNorthville falls to nemesis Novi
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Northville senior forward Danielle Toney (4) stretches to make a play against Novi last week in the state semifinal game at Brighton. Northville lost the game, 3-1. Photo by Jeff NovakFor two years the Novi Lady Wildcats have had the Northville Lady Mustangs’ number on the soccer field.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs they did it again last Wednesday in the state semifinal at Brighton. Novi scored two goals in a 17-minute span to win the game, 3-1, and move on to the team’s third state finale.
Novi didn’t dominate the contest by any means.
Northville senior forward and co-captain Danielle Toney opened with a quick shot that bounced off the post, negating the team’s first opportunity. After that Novi got into gear and took a quick lead when senior Emily Esbrook dropped in a left-footer about six minutes into the battle. The goal didn’t seem to bother the Mustangs, who answered with a goal with about 20:29 left in the half when senior defender and co-captain Kristen Slack knocked in a header off of a corner kick from Toney.
Like Novi’s first goal, Northville’s tally didn’t hinder the Wildcats.
Wildcat junior Jenna Carosio retaliated with a long, high shot that sailed over the outstretched hands of Northville goalkeeper Liz Watza, a senior and the team’s third co-captain. The ball dropped just under the crossbar at the 17-minute marker. Novi carried the 2-1 advantage into the intermission.
Northville had a new look coming into the second half. Not only did Northville Coach Ron Meteyer change up goalies, but the players had a new look in their eyes.
In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Northville had two quality shots on net.
Toney let loose with a shot that Novi sophomore goalie Erin Zerio didn’t handle cleanly. The ball trickled along the goal line. Toney raced toward it, but so did Zerio—clawing for it in a mad scramble. Zerio got there first, nixing that opportunity. Then 28 seconds later she caught a corner kick before Toney could head it in.
Novi put the game away for good when junior Veronica Salens scored with 9:03 left in the game.
“When we get in there we deal with a couple of different things,” Meteyer said of the half-time talk. “(Assistant coach) Eric Brucker talks to them about strategy and draws them about 17 different diagrams. I told them they had either 40 minutes or 120—that’s what the choices are.“We came out and had some really good effort there and had two quality scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes,” he added. “If either of them go in we have a tied game and an all-together different plan.”
Novi coach Brian O’Leary said Northville’s second-half strategy nearly dashed his Wildcats’ run at three consecutive state championships.
“They changed the way they played their forwards,” he said. “Before they kept them apart so we were used to putting two on (Toney) on one side and one on the near. This time they ran both over and it nearly cost us. But that’s how good of a player Toney is; you give her on inch and she makes you almost pay for it. I thought we made some good adjustments.”
“We didn’t settle the ball down real nice in the first 20 minutes,” he added. “Their players did a real nice job keeping us on our heels. We kept clearing, but they would win it and put the pressure right back on us. In the second 20 minutes we were much more organized, much more calmer and much more in control.”
Northville lost the last four meetings with Novi over that two-year period, including the 3-1 loss. Although they didn’t have the answer for their nemesis last week, they sure made a statement. The young team that sported five freshmen, six sophomores, nine juniors and just four seniors proved that, with some polish, they will shine next year.
The man with the polish and a surplus of elbow grease—Meteyer—was pleased with the season and has high hopes for the future.
“It was a tough battle especially in a year where we have so many new young players playing,” he said of the 16-4-3 season. “I think we went farther than anyone had expected. It was a good season and I told the girls that I wouldn’t trade them for anyone in the world.
“It was a young team with three that committed to big-time programs,” he added, “but we already have three or four more kids that are ready to commit to big-time programs, too. Our incoming sophomores and freshmen over the last couple of years have been real good and I think they will be ready for a lot more next year and we will have a lot more seniors next year, too.”
It was the experienced senior captains that kept the ball rolling this season for the ‘Stangs.
Toney scored 21 goals this year and is the school’s all-time scoring leader. Watza recorded 12 shutouts during the season and Slack was a force at sweeper.
“We had a real good group of seniors—an excellent group and just real classy kids,” Meteyer said. “I really think that the one that kept us in the game and much of the season was Slack back at sweeper. As nice as it was to have Toney up front scoring, Slack was phenomenal. The kid just doesn’t make mistakes. She’s cool, calm and collective.”
Northville will regroup next year without their top scorer, goalie and defender but with nine very experienced seniors, six juniors and five sophomores from this year’s schedule.
