Hornets Capture First Soccer District Since 2007

The Saline Hornets are MHSAA girls’ soccer District 5-1 Champs.

The Hornets kicked aside the Bedford Kicking Mules, 4-1, at Woodhaven High School Saturday.

Captain Emilee Kaminski scored two goals to lead the Hornets. Juniors Stacey Stevens and Brittney Brown also tallied for Saline.

Haley Kreger scored the only goal for Bedford, beating keeper Hayley Reynolds on a penalty kick. Otherwise, Reynolds stopped every shot.

The Hornets move on to face Pioneer at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Dearborn Edsel Ford in the Regional Semifinal. Pioneer beat Skyline in its district final Saturday. Earlier this season, Ann Arbor and Saline played to a 0-0 draw.

The Hornets put forth a convincing effort Saturday. From the opening horn  and for all but a few minutes late in the first half, Saline dominated the play.

“We had a strong start and got the two-goal lead and got complacent a little. We were unfortunate a little bit on the penalty kick call. But I liked the way we responded. I think it said something about the mental composure of our team,” said head coach Dana Restrick.

Saline seemed to have built a wall at midfield, and rarely let the Kicking Mules out of their own end. Constantly pressing, Saline finally broke the ice with Kaminski’s first goal with 16 minutes to play in the half. The goal was set up by a long, high kick by Mackenzie Schumborg. Kaminski raced to get there before the defender and goalie. With the goalie way out to challenge, Kaminski wisely just used her head to pop the ball up and over the helpless keeper and into the net.

Just a couple minutes later, the Hornets struck again. Stevens took a pass and raced through the crease before firing it back the other way past the keeper for a 2-0 lead with 14 minutes to play.

Up by a pair, the Hornets fell back and the Kicking Mules generated a couple hectic moments in front of the Saline goal. The Mules finally scored after a Hornet was called for tripping and Bedford’s Kreger placed a nice penalty kick into the corner of the net with 36 seconds left in the first half.

At halftime, Restrick challenged her girls, and they responded, keeping the play in Bedford’s end for about 80 percent of the second half. Kaminski scored her second goal of the game to give Saline some breathing room. Kouba directed a kick to the front of the net and a streaking Kaminski used her chest to deflect the ball past Bedford’s keeper for a 3-1 lead with 24 minutes to play.

Brown iced it when she neatly placed free kick past the wall and Bedford’s keeper  into the corner of the goal for a 4-1 lead with 9 minutes to play.

Restrick credited the work of Kaminski.

"All season long, she's played consistently hard and been consistently strong. i don't think we've played a game where she wasn't our best player," Restrick said.

Midfielder Kayla Kouba, who had a terrific game for Saline, was a big reason why Bedford rarely got the ball out of their own end with possession.

“She’s a force in the middle and very composed. She knows how to get the ball to our feet and she spreads out their defense. She’s our general in the mid-field and she can hard-nosed defense, too,” Restrick said.

It was a big win for the Hornets, who won their first district title since 2007.

“It means the world to me. I’ve been on the team for four years, and this is the first time we’ve won a trophy. I really love the girls on our team. I get choked up thinking about,” said Kaminski, who scored two goals and put the Kicking Mules on their heels every time she touched the ball.

Coach Restrick said the girls deserved it.

“All year we’ve been working hard and playing a tough schedule, so it’s nice to see them rewarded,” said Restrick, who was doused with ice water when the team caught her after the game and dumped the Gatorade bucket over her.

“It was special to me, too. I was a four-year varsity player (for Saline) and never won a district, so to come back to my alma mater and get this win is important to me,” said Restrick.