63rd girls soccer final: Cats, Baker surpass half-dozen

Oct. 7—ASHLAND — Milei Baker arrived at the pitch on Thursday knowing it would be a special day for her and her team.

Ashland was hosting the 63rd District Tournament championship, but the junior had the night marked on her calendar for another important reason.

"This season was different for me because it was the first time coming back from my injury," Baker said. "Today was the one-year mark that I got my ACL brace taken off. To be able to score four goals and walk out of here as district champions, it's a huge deal for us. I'm glad I can share it with my team."

The Cats forward celebrated the occasion by scoring four goals and leading her team to a 7-1 victory over Russell in the title match. Kenleigh Woods added two goals and two assists. Macie Bevins scored once. Meisha Salisbury and Gabby Karle each dished out an assist.

"Our team really wanted (this match) bad and we really wanted to go for it at the end of the season," Baker said. "We lost to Russell the first time that we played them. and we won the second time, so we had that sense of urgency. We had the drive to win it again. We are at our peak at the end of the season."

Ashland followed the same path to victory that it had in the district semifinals against Boyd County. The Cats started fast, grabbing an early lead, and then leaned on their defense to stretch out the advantage.

Ashland scored two goals in the first 10 minutes of the match. Woods found Bevins on the other side of the box in the eighth minute. The pass found her feet, which gave her time to collect the ball and shoot it past the keeper.

Woods intercepted a pass two minutes later at the top of the box. She wheeled around and the spinning kick found the top of the goal for a 2-0 lead.

Ashland coach John Cook agrees with Baker. The Cats picked the right time to play their best soccer.

"We have built for this time, which all coaches do," Cook said. "They have brought so much heart and spirit. I looked at my wife after the game and said, 'It's why I do this. I love to see the unbridled joy on their faces.' They said thanks for pushing us in the huddle. They wanted to be pushed."

Ashland has multiple scoring options attacking the net. Woods scored her 30th goal of the season and Baker improved her total to 27. The chemistry among the team has provided a winning formula.

"It's been great all year and it's just grown and grown," Cook said. "The great thing about these kids is that they love each other. There is a connection between all of them. They don't care who scores or makes a play. They have each other's backs."

Russell (6-10-1) was whistled for a foul in the box in the 14th minute and the call resulted in a penalty kick for the Cats. Baker set the ball on the mark and calmly booted it into the twine. She capitalized on the same call midway through the second half and had the same result.

"It kind of stresses me out," Baker said. "I'm not going to lie. They trust me in this role. I'm thankful that my coaches put me in that position and push me to make those shots."

Salisbury put the ball in the box late in the first half. Woods headed the bouncing ball into the back of the net to give Ashland (15-2-2) a four-goal advantage at halftime.

Russell coach John Perry didn't see the same sense of urgency from his team in the first 40 minutes.

"We have had some bumps and bruises along the way this season," Perry said. "I think that plays on your physique a little bit. We started this game pretty flat."

Baker scored three goals in the second half. She knocked in a back-post tally just after halftime and posted another off a pass from Karle.

The Cats can also count on their defense in the postseason. Ashland has given up 12 goals this year and is tied for third in the state standings, giving up just 0.6 goals a contest.

"I was filling out stats the other day and we are way up there in team defense," Cook said. "I tell them all the time. It's not just that we have a great goalkeeper, but we also have a great back four. Gracie Madden's saves are low for a season. Our back four are phenomenal together."

Eva Blanke recorded a goal during an improved second half for the Red Devils as both teams look build momentum for the 16th Region Tournament next week at Greenup County.

"I don't think there is anything soccer-related that we need to shore up," Perry said. "I think we need to find trust in one another and find a little bit of confidence in our abilities to play as a unit. I can't say that tonight's outcome would have been any different. Hat's off to Ashland. They came out with a game plan and executed it pretty well."

(606) 326-2654 — msparks@dailyindependent.com