Kaminski Goal Enough as Hornets Advance to Championship Game

The Saline Hornets girls’ soccer team fought for eighty minutes and earned the right to play for the MHSAA District Championship with a 1-0 win over the Woodhaven Warriors Thursday night. The Hornets needed all facets of their game to pull off the win.

The game started as a see-saw affair between the two teams, but no one was able to find a way past the opponent’s keeper. Saline used its aggressive offensive style to pressure the Warriors time and again, getting quality scoring chances. Then, at 27:59, Emilee Kaminski muscled through Woodhaven’s defensive backfield and buried the ball into the net, breaking the tie. Saline went into the half up 1-0.

“I haven’t seen a game where [Emilee’s] not the best player on the field. That’s what leaders do, that’s what seniors do and that’s what she does, score goals in big games,” said head coach Dana Restrick.

The Hornets came out a little flat after the break. Woodhaven came out aggressively, but Saline’s defense, highlighted by back-to-back saves by keeper Hayley Reynolds around the 30-minute mark, stepped up and kept the Warriors off the board. Saline regained control of the ball offensively at 21:20 and never looked back. The Hornets had three strong runs on net within a minute of each other. Melissa Stevens had the best opportunity to add to Saline’s lead, but put the ball just over the goal around the 16-minute mark.  The offense would settle in and play a possession game that would see them to the end of the game holding their slim lead.

“Especially when you have a one goal lead, it’s a mental toughness thing.  When they get some opportunities, it’s very easy to crack. It speaks to our toughness that we’ve been working on all season; it was a test of character, and we passed,” said Restrick.

Saline travels to Woodhaven to face Bedford Saturday at 11 a.m. for the District Championship.