SETTING THE SCENE: The Milford High School girls soccer team will be out to earn a measure of payback against two squads that handed the Eagles setbacks last season when they hit the pitch this week. Despite a loss in its last outing, the Eagles had previously posted two wins and a tie against some of the area’s top-10 teams. This week begins for the Eagles (3-3-1, 1-0-1 Eastern Cincinnati Conference) against Anderson, the team that knocked Milford out of the OHSAA Tournament last fall. Then it’s a battle with an always tough Indian Hill squad to wrap up the week.
THE UPCOMING DOCKET: A look at Milford’s schedule for the upcoming week:
- Tuesday, Sept. 13 vs. Anderson, 7:00 p.m.
- 2016 Record: 4-1-1, 1-0-0 ECC (RV Division I area coaches’ weekly poll)
- Top Scorer: Senior Mallory VonHolle (9 G, 4 A, 22 pts.)
- Last Meeting: 2015; Milford 0, Anderson 0 & Anderson 4, Milford 2
- Series History: Anderson leads 27-12-4
- Saturday, Sept. 17 at Indian Hill, 7:00 p.m.
- 2016 Record: 2-2-1, 0-1-1 CHL (2nd Division II area coaches’ weekly poll)
- Top Scorer: Sophomore Anna Podojil (2 G, 4 A, 8 pts.)
- Last Meeting: 2015; Indian Hill 4, Milford 1
- Series History: Milford leads 10-8-4
A LOOK BACK: Sept. 6 vs. Walnut Hills: The Eagles picked up their second consecutive win over a team ranked inside the top-10 of the Cincinnati Enquirer area coaches’ poll when they knocked off Walnut Hills by a 4-2 score on Sept. 6. The early stages saw Walnut strike first, but McKinley Dumm answered to tie the score. After WHHS went up 2-1 before the half, Bryn Rolfsen scored the equalizer to tie the score with 36 minutes remaining. Just four minutes later, Tori Gilman found Ali Kirk for the go-ahead goal and later Emma Netzel dented the back of the net for the final 4-2 margin.
Sept. 10 vs. Springboro: Milford couldn’t extend its undefeated streak to four as they fell to a strong Springboro squad by a 5-0 score on Sept. 10. The game was played on the turf inside Eagles Stadium.
INSIDE THE ECC: Still very early in the race for the 2016 Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship, Loveland is showing as the leader at 2-0-0 in league play and a perfect 7-0-0 overall. Anderson has won its only league match-up, just ahead of the Eagles at 1-0-1 and Walnut Hills (1-1-0).
A look inside the ECC statistics shows junior Bryn Rolfsen tied for ninth among league players with seven points, while also showing tied for seventh with a trio of goals. The Eagles’ assist leader is freshman Tori Kittrel who is tied for fourth with a three helpers this season.
POLL WATCH: After going undefeated against three consecutive top-10 opponents, Milford has climbed into the top-10 in this week’s area Division I coaches’ poll, as the Eagles are slotted eighth. ECC front-runner Loveland is atop the rankings, having earned 17 of the 19 first place votes cast this week. Oak Hills received the other two and is second, just ahead of Mount Notre Dame, Lebanon and Mason. ECC foe Turpin is just behind the Eagles in ninth, with Walnut Hills and Anderson in the others receiving votes section. The coaches’ poll is released every Monday at Noon at preps.cincinnati.com/coachespolls.
LONG TIME COMING: The Eagles picked up a huge victory on Sept. 3 as they upset Mason by a 1-0 score at a sun-drenched Charity J. Lucas Stadium. Junior Bryn Rolfsen found the back of the net for the match’s only score with approximately 30 minutes remaining in the second half. The win pushed the Eagles past the area’s No. 2 ranked team in this week’s Cincinnati Enquirer area coaches’ poll for the first time since the 2011 regular season.