First half surge leads to win

The Lady Wolves kicked off the season picking up the momentum in the first week of games with their first win.
The Clarkston Girls Varsity Soccer team beat Birmingham Groves on April 3, 4-2.
‘Everyone contributed,? said Mike Nelson, head coach. ‘Everyone played really well. It was a good team win before break.?
Junior Maddy Herbert started the goal scoring less than five minutes into the game when she made her corner kick from the southeast corner count as it went into the net.
Sophomore Kelly Moltmaker and senior Andrea Dean added two more goals before the end of the first half to put the score 3-0.
Moltmaker scored her goal with 16:50 remaining in the first half with an assist from sophomore Maddie Bright.
It didn’t take long for the third goal – 45 seconds to be exact – as the Lady Wolves took control of the ball again bringing it back into Groves? territory before Dean scored her goal.
‘We controlled the pace and the tempo the entire game,? Nelson added. ‘Kelly played really well. She had to best goal of the season.?
Groves made two shots on Clarkston’s net in the half with one made with 2:38 left but was denied as freshman Kristen Page saved it in the middle of the net.
The Lady Falcons broke through with their first goal 18 minutes into the second half. They attempted for one more point on the scoreboard a few seconds later but Page blocked the shot.
With ten minutes remaining in the game, junior Olivia Montgomery put the score 4-1 with an assist from junior Lindsay Runft.
The Lady Wolves made nine shots on the net and Page had four saves.
‘She has some really good saves for us,? Nelson added.
The girls opened the season with a 1-1 tie against Lake Orion, April 1 – their sixth consecutive year of tying with their rival.
‘It was a pretty even game,? said Nelson. ‘No one had the upper hand. We both had equal opportunities on the net. We did miss a couple off the post. The thing we struggled with a little bit was transition. Against Groves we could move the ball defense to midfield pretty easily. If we can do that we will be a tough team to beat.?
The Lady Dragons opened the scoring and Herbert tied the game with her goal. Page made seven saves in the net while her teammates made six shots.
‘The first week was very good considering Lake Orion was a huge rivalry game,? Nelson added. ‘We didn’t have the finish we wanted against Lake Orion but we will take the draw. We had a good, long week. Spirits are high. We are excited and already chomping at the bits to play Lake Orion again.?
The Lady Wolves head to Oxford on Thursday and North Farmington on Monday. They are back home when they host Berkley on Tuesday. JV begins at 5:30 p.m., varsity follows.