The Saline Hornets spent the opening day of their Invite Tournament making a statement. The Hornets (22-2) were there to win, and they played at both ends of the pool like they meant it. Their offense spread the ball around and scored 31 times, while their defense allowed only eight goals.
“Everyone on the team shoots and scores. It’s the only way teams are going to give you any respect and guard you. It’s easy to set four people on one scorer, but you can’t do that against us,” said head coach Mary Chatigny.
Saline’s first game was against Birmingham Groves, whom they defeated 7-4. Abbey Wrobleski opened Saline’s scoring. Stephanie Bundas and Bailey Workman each added two, while Karleen Koskinen and Erika Glatz each added a lone tally for the Hornets. Stephanie Bule allowed two goals in each half.
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The second game saw Saline take on the returning Hornet Invite champions from Milford, Ohio. The lady Hornets came out strong and pushed 12 goals past the Milford net-minder. Alex Wagner opened Saline’s scoring with her first of three goals in the game. Bundas and Workmen added three more goals each, while Koskinen added two and Wrobleski tallied a lone score to round out the Hornet scoring. Emily Farsakian allowed only three goals in the 12-3 victory.
“We’re happy with our defense. You never know if what you coach is going to sink in and if they’re going to go out and do it. They are doing exactly what we’re asking on defense: sell out and don’t worry about the offense,” said Chatigny.
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Saline’s final game was a 12-1 rout against Grand Haven to end the evening’s festivities. Bule allowed only the one score with a strong defense in front of her. Bundas opened this game’s scoring with her first of two goals, while Workman ended her team-leading 10 goal night with five tallies. Ellie Brigger, Caitlin Sisken, Glatz, Wagner and Wrobleski each added one goal each for the Hornets.
Saline’s junior varsity played in place of an absent Ann Arbor Pioneer, who was observing Good Friday. While they lost all three games they played in, they were never shut out of the scoring. Hannah Lau and Katie Saxton each scored three times, while Emily McCullough scored twice and Glatz added another goal for their team. Glatz and Lau also played on the varsity team Friday night.
“[The junior varsity team] gets in and forgets they’re at a varsity event. They need to pat themselves on the back, they did a good job today,” said Chatigny.
The evening in review:
Game 1: Seaholm – 14 Saline B – 5
Game 2: Saline – 7 Groves – 4
Game 3: Milford (Ohio) – 14 Saline B – 1
Game 4: Groves – 5 Seaholm – 2
Game 5: Dexter – 16 Saline B – 3
Game 6: Saline – 12 Milford (Ohio) – 3
Game 7: Dexter – 13 Seaholm – 6
Game 8: Groves – 13 Grand Haven – 3
Game 9: Dexter – 9 Milford (Ohio) – 4
Game 10: Saline – 12 Grand Haven – 1
