MICHIGAN GIRLS SOCCER: Rochester gains measure of revenge, upsets defending D-1 state champion Rochester Adams in impressive fashion
- Dan Stickradt
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
BY DAN STICKRADT
NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF NEWS | WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR
Premier Media Group | National Soccer Network and affiliates
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ROCHESTER HILLS – It was only 10 months ago that Rochester walked off its home field dejected, as the Falcons dropped a 1-0 game to arch-rival and then-state-ranked Rochester Adams in a Division 1 district finals match.
The game ended in a shootout with the Falcons coming up on the short end of the stick and seeing their season come to an end with n 11-7-3 record.
Rochester clearly remembered that bitter defeat on Tuesday night against one of the state’s top teams and under the chilliest of conditions.
The Falcons remained unbeaten on the year Tuesday by scoring a goal in each half and playing impressive lockdown team defense in recording a 2-0 Oakland Activities Association-Red Division victory over defending state champion and fourth-ranked Rochester Adams.
That’s right. After Rochester saw its season come to a close in the district finals for the second straight year – the program was bounced by eventual 2023 state champion Rochester Stoney Creek in the district finals that season as well – the Falcons were able to outplay Adams for much of the first half and then held on to post the shutout.
Rochester simply put the deep freeze on the ice cold Highlanders.
“Obviously its an early game, but it’s a good result – at a high cost with Stella (Marlow) going out,” noted Rochester coach Doug Steinard, whose team won a Division 1 district and regional crown in 2022 before bowing out in the state semifinals that season. “But I think any time you can get a win on your home field in league play it’s always a good story.”
Senior Alice Max, a 6-foot-1 basketball/soccer combo star who will play collegiate basketball at NCAA Division II Grand Valley State University, recorded her third shutout of the young season. She only had one first-half save and finished with three total stops, but was quite active patrolling her box and coming off her line to snare a multitude of crosses, set pieces and passes into the middle.
“It’s a new year. Player-wide we had some freshmen come in and Izzy Greenslade is a threat. Everybody is a year older. Overall, just the way we are playin9g is solid). Again, (the) early days but things could change. It’s just we’re a different group. We’re energetic and dangerous when we’re going forward at times. I think we did a great job tonight,” added Steinard.
Adams returned six starters and opened the season 4-1-0 with a stellar 19-4 scoring edge. The Highlanders, fighting through some injuries, were never completely in sync offensively and failed to try to beat Max down low. Rochester’s defense limited the Highlanders’ quality chances the hole night.
Adams outshot Rochester 8-5 overall, but Rochester held a 4-3 edge with shots on frame and converted on two grand opportunities – once in each half. The Highlanders didn’t even attempt a single shot until there was 14:42 left in the opening half.
The Highlanders – 16-2-2 overall last season with a OAA-Red runner-up finish to go along with their district, regional and state championships – simply were forced to shoot from distance, rarely penetrating the Falcons’ stingy back line of freshman Abby Condon and seniors Gabi Martin (Saginaw Valley State University), Riley Simpson (undecided) and Emma Barker (Lawrence Tech University) along with senior holding center midfielder Kiely Robinson (University of Detroit-Mercy).
Rochester (3-0-1, 1-0-1) scored the eventual game-winning goal on the first shot of the game by either side with 20:13 remaining in the first half. Sophomore Andi Jones’ long serve from the right side sailed over traffic with freshman Izzy Greenslade flicking the ball backwards and junior Stella Marlow conducting a diving header into the goal before Adams junior goalkeeper Lexi Calcamuggio (Davenport University) could retreat in time to block the scoring opportunity.
Marlow was injured early in the second half and did not return. But her teammates picked her up with a second-half insurance tally and continued impressive play.
While 12th-ranked Rochester’s defense held true to form in the second half, the Falcons played somewhat even with the Highlanders in the final 40 minutes. After a teammate was tripped up just outside of the box, it was the aforementioned Jones – taking a couple of months off from her club team to play for Rochester for the first time – who laced a bending 19-yard laser that curled just inside the left post where Adams senior goalkeeper Brooklyn Harding (Illinois State) stood no chance of snaring.
That goal capped the scoring and the Falcons’ defense withstood everything that the Highlanders (4-2-0, 0-2-0) slung their way. Adams only lost twice last season but uncharacteristically dropped their second straight league match to open the 2025 season despite their lofty ranking and high expectations.
“You have to give Rochester credit — they played great defense and they have a very good team, too,” said Hickey, who was won three state titles in the past three years between boys soccer and girls soccer at Adams. “We just couldn’t get much going offensively.”
Rochester only outscored its opposition 38-30 last season and was a bit inconsistent at times, but have clearly shored up the defensive play so far this year and are off to another quality start with wins over Okemos, Clarkston and now Adams around a tie with Oxford.
It was a really-well struck ball by Andi (Jones). She put it on frame and was dangerous,” said Steinard. “I think we scored both goals after set pieces. They are important in the game. For a sophomore to step up like that in a rivalry game – probably not a better feeling.”
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