BRUNSWICK — In one of the biggest weeks in program history, the Brunswick girls soccer team proved it belonged with the state’s elite.
For the second time in as many seasons, Brunswick defeated rival Medina in a battle of state-ranked teams — this time by a 2-1 count Saturday night at Judy Kirsch Field — to remain undefeated.
This victory capped a
five-day stretch in which the Blue Devils (7-0-2) also tied top-ranked Strongsville and Twinsburg.
“We were definitely down after Twinsburg, all of us, so I didn’t know what we would get today and how they would respond,” Brunswick coach Scott Ward said. “But they responded well.”
Despite missing starters Olivia Young and Geena Gamble, the ninth-ranked Blue Devils didn’t miss a beat. They put pressure on No. 6 Medina (8-2-2) from the start and took a two-goal lead with 21:34 left.
It was a statement 1-0-2 week that should help Brunswick move up in the state rankings.
“We always have extra motivation before, especially with Medina because they’re our biggest rival,” senior forward Sam Malleo said. “We all saw tweets before the game about how it’s their biggest game, so we wanted to make sure we played our game.”
The Blue Devils broke through 13 minutes in, when Malleo took a pass from Jordyn Newcomer at the top of the box and fired it past goalkeeper Jordan Reynolds (2 saves) for her sixth goal of the year.
It was one several standout plays from Newcomer, who filled in for Gamble in the midfield. Gamble was attending a family wedding.
Newcomer also helped the Blue Devils limit the Bees to just two shots in the opening half, one of which was on goal by Syndey Leckie with 4:30 left.
“The difference is we just got outclassed tonight,” Medina coach Doug Coreno said. “The first half was the worst 40 minutes of soccer that we’ve given all season — just no energy, no emotion. We tried two different formations in that first half and could get nothing out of anything we did.
“For whatever reason, we didn’t show up to play tonight.”
Brunswick picked up the crucial insurance goal with 21:34 remaining, when Gabby Maslowski sent a crossing pass to the far side of the box that Bailey Blythin headed in.
But it wasn’t over, as Medina’s Sarah Blue scored off a Bri Shingary feed to make it a one-goal lead 10 minutes later.
That didn’t seem to faze the Blue Devils, however, as their backline settled in and put enough pressure on the Bees to force shots off frame. Combine that with physical play and it was the toughest test of the
season.
“We just had a game against Twinsburg where we got caught up in every foul, every card, everything and lost our composure, including myself,” Ward said. “It was good they kept their composure and kept playing through. Medina is a good team and they’re going to have their chances, but we stayed calm throughout.”
The play of the night came in the closing minutes, as Elizabeth Ash’s shot attempt from about 10 feet away was cleared by junior Hayley Anderson, who filled in for Young at outside back. Young was assessed a red card against the Tigers on Wednesday.
“I was a little worried (without Olivia), but once we settled in, Hayley did a great job filling in,” said senior goalkeeper Erin Calhoun, who finished with four saves. “Before the game, (coach) Ward said we’re a team and we’re still going to win even without one player because it’s a team effort. That was reassuring to hear, and it was good once we started.”
As Brunswick completed one its biggest stretches of the season, Medina’s pressure-cooker continues Wednesday as it hosts undefeated Hudson in a crucial Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division clash.
“I really can’t explain it,” Coreno said of the loss. “This was a game that was instrumental in who gets home field advantage in the district playoffs. Two top-ten teams, a beautiful night and we just didn’t come to play. We have to figure that out.
“I told the girls that as much as this loss hurts, we have to learn from it and remember what this feels like, so come playoffs we don’t put forth an effort like we did tonight.”
The night, however, belonged to the Blue Devils.
“This means a lot to us,” Malleo said. “It proves that we never let down. Through this whole week, we tied
(top-ranked) Strongsville and then had an unfortunate game with Twinsburg, but we still stepped up and never gave up.
“We deserved to win (tonight).”
Contact Dan Brown
at sports@medina-gazette.com.
Brunswick 2, Medina 1
MEDINA 0 1 — 1
BRUNSWICK 1 1 — 2
First
B — Sam Malleo (Jordyn Newcomer), 26:56.
Second
B — Bailey Blythin (Gabby Maslowski), 21:34.
M — Sarah Blue (Bri Shingary), 11:45.
Shots on goal — Medina 5, Brunswick 4. Corner kicks — Medina 3, Brunswick 2. Saves — Jordan Reynolds (M) 2, Erin Calhoun (B) 4. Records — Medina (8-2-2), Brunswick (7-0-2). Junior varsity — Medina 0, Brunswick 0.
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