CONNEAUT — It’s playoff time across the sports world and, in Ohio, the high school soccer playoffs kicked off Monday night as the Conneaut Spartans defeated the visiting Edgewood Warriors in a close battle, 4-3.

About five minutes into the contest, Conneaut (10-6-1) used its speed to race down the length of the field leading to forward Jessica Lynch find the back of the net on a perfectly executed free kick, giving the Spartans the early 1-0 lead.

Both teams would battle in the midfield for the ball, but at the 14 minute mark, Edgewood (2-14) sophomore Sarah Stell sailed a beautiful cross on a free kick from the left sideline that found teammate Taylor Rowe, who finished the play to tie the game at 1.

With the score knotted up the Warriors and the Spartans both showed a full team effort the rest of the first half.

Edgewood was able to execute several good drives down the field, helped by good ball movement and communication. This led to a decent amount of opportunities for shots on goal, but Conneaut’s defense and goalie Brenna Nelson helped prevent another first half goal.

Nelson helped lead Conneaut with a tough 12 saves as Spartan goalie.

Conneaut would capitalize on the Warriors missed opportunities, though.

About 35 minutes into the first half a loose ball off a corner kick bounced around in front of the Edgewood goal, and eventually, Spartan forward Brooke Bennett kicked it into the Warrior goal giving her team the 2-1 lead now.

History repeated itself in the 37th minute as the same thing happened. A loose ball again sputtered too close to the Warrior goal, and in the middle of the fray Conneaut capitalized again with Lynch kicking it in for the 3-1 lead.

One minute later the Spartans showed that same finesse by the goal, when a third loose ball got trapped between the two teams and Conneaut midfielder Mikahla Passamore booted, it now giving Conneaut the 4-1 lead heading into halftime.

Jessica Lynch, Alesha Zappitella, Michaela Rogers, Jessica Thompson and Brooke Bennett helped lead the Conneaut surge on both sides of the ball.

“It was huge,” Conneaut coach Casey Bacha said of the final minutes of the first half.

“Not really anyone’s fault,” Edgewood coach Vince Peluso said. “That was just sloppy play. We didn’t finish the half and ultimately that was the difference in the game.”

As halftime ended, the rain turned from a gentle drizzle to a steady down pour, but that didn’t stop either teams as both squads continued to battle.

Seventeen minutes into the second half the Warriors still found themselves down three goals, and that’s when junior midfielder Zhen-Zhen Eidens connected on a big boot for the score, cutting the Conneaut deficit to 4-2.

Another 10 minutes of back and forth battling for the ball and it was Edgewood showing their Warrior instinct, with Eidens connecting on a penalty kick shot to the upper left corner of the Spartan goal, helping her team claw back into the game, making the game just 4-3.

And just like that, with 12 minutes remaining in the game, the playoff spirit was back.

Eidens, Abbie Schlick, Cortney Humphrey, Stell and Carrie Pozum helped fight all over the field to help the rally surge on.

“They had to stay organized,” Bacha said. “We had to keep pressure.”

The Spartans kept the pressure up and the Warriors hustled with everything they had for the rest of the game. Edgewood was able to create more opportunities and shots on goal but Conneaut remained tough on defense. On the other end of the field Conneaut had a few more speedy offensive breakaways and their own opportunities for shots on goal but sophomore Warrior goalie Jillian Dick remained tough, stopping all of them.

Jillian had a tough 19 saves for Edgewood.

In the end, time just ran out on Edgewood and Conneaut was able to win and advance, 4-3.

“If you look at the game, for 75 minutes I thought we were the better team,” Peluso said. “We’ve had a problem not playing for 80 minutes, but that wasn’t the case today. I just told the girls, I honestly couldn’t have scripted it up any better than this.

Peluso said despite his team’s record, he is encouraged going into next season.

“Usually, you are what your record says, but I don’t think ours is reflective of the teams we have,” he said. “I was looking at the roster today and we’re going to have 13 letter winners returning for next year so we are a young team.

“I think we’re only going to continue to improve.”

Velotta is a freelance writer from Concord.      

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