SETTING THE SCENE: With three matches in the new season already in the books, the Milford High School girls soccer squad will face two of the area’s top squads this week. The Eagles have picked up one win in the first three matches of the year, but already have six goals scored to their credit. It took last season’s flock of Eagles seven matches to reach the goal total it has already reached this fall. This week’s slate also features the kickoff to league play as Milford takes on reigning league champs Turpin. The docket this week also shows a home date against perennial powerhouse Mason.
THE UPCOMING DOCKET: A look at Milford’s schedule for the upcoming week:
- Tuesday, Aug. 30 at Turpin, 7:00 p.m.
- 2016 Record: 1-1-1, 0-0-0 ECC (5th Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
- Top Scorer: Junior Elise Crew (1 G, 1 A, 3 pts.)
- Last Meeting: 2016; Milford 1, Turpin 1
- Series History: Turpin leads 30-13-7
- Saturday, Sept. 3 vs. Mason, Noon
- 2016 Record: 2-1-0, 0-0-0 GMC (2nd Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
- Top Scorer: Junior Annie Metzger & senior Brooke Radcliff (1 G, 1 A, 3 pts. each)
- Last Meeting: 2015; Mason 3, Milford 0
- Series History: Mason leads 14-8-2
A LOOK BACK: Aug. 20 vs. Lebanon: The Eagles endured a tough start to the 2016 season, running into a talented Lebanon squad and dropping a 5-1 decision on Aug. 20. Tori Gilman got her senior year off on the right foot finding the back of the net for her first goal of the campaign.
Aug. 23 at Sycamore: Season victory number one came on Aug. 23 as Milford traveled to Sycamore and came away with a 2-1 non-conference triumph. Senior McKinley Dumm and junior Bryn Rolfsen were the goal scorers on the evening for the victorious Eagles.
Aug. 25 at Centerville: A trip to Centerville on Aug. 25 produced a high-scoring affair with the hosts pulling out a 4-3 win. Junior Holly Barlage tallied a three-point day, scoring one of the three goals and adding an assist on another. Also scoring goals in the match for Milford were senior Amanda Zanola and junior Emma Netzel.
INSIDE THE ECC: League play kicks off this week with Loveland the only squad to post a perfect record to date (3-0-0). Turpin, who won last season’s Eastern Cincinnati Conference crown, also figure to have a say in this year’s battle as will Walnut Hills among others.
Just one week into the season, juniors Holly Barlage and Bryn Rolfsen are the Eagles’ top scorers (and tied for ninth in the ECC) with one goal and one assist each for three points. Freshman Ali Claus has made an immediate impact as she is tied for the number one slot in the league with a pair of assists.
POLL WATCH: The Eagles are again among the area teams receiving votes in the Cincinnati Enquirer’s weekly Division I coaches’ poll which was released on Aug. 29. ECC power Loveland is the week’s top-ranked squad earning the No. 1 from 11 of the 20 voting coaches. Mason is in the runner-up position with four top nods, with Mount Notre Dame earning third place (three No. 1 votes) and Oak Hills fourth with one No. 1 choice. The ECC is also represented by Turpin in fifth, Walnut Hills in 10th and Kings and Anderson each receiving votes. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.