The past four years have been quite the ride for Ashland’s six seniors. The first freshmen under first-year head coach Glenn Francis in 2010, they will leave as the first seniors under first-year head coach Danny Krispinsky.

There were 12 women in the class to start, with seven leaving the program and one – Haley Frick – transferring in from Division I Miami University in 2011. The five originals – Rebecca Plescia, Deanna Gundling, Katelyn Peterson, Kelly Krispinsky and Melissa Hill – have been part of the team’s core throughout, and all six are key contributors on this year’s squad. 

Their leadership has been a huge part of the program’s quick turnaround under Krispinsky this year after a 7-10-1 overall record in 2012 and 1-3-1 start to 2013.

Ohio Dominican (10-5-2, 7-4-1)

Entering Saturday’s Senior Night contest against Ohio Dominican, the Eagles (9-5-2, 8-3-1) had already earned a home game in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament first round by placing in the top four in the regular season. 

The only question was whether they would finish second or third.

Festivities for the six outgoing players were tempered by a 5-0 loss to the Panthers (10-5-2, 7-4-1).

Ashland controlled play in the opening minutes and throughout much of the first half.

The first scoring chance came from a cross by sophomore Krista Lewis from the left wing that found Kelly Krispinsky sprinting into the penalty area from her position on the right wing. Krispinsky’s shot on her first touch was wide left.

Unfortunately, it was the last real threat that the Eagles would pose to ODU goalkeeper Laura Clark. 

“We dictated the game,” Danny Krispinsky said. “That’s what I was expecting us to do, but it’s a bottom line game and the bottom line is we didn’t get the goal.”

The Panthers sat back and allowed AU to possess for long stretches, preferring to create chances from the counterattack. 

The risky strategy paid off in the 23rd minute, when Madison Baldwin latched on to a cross by Amanda Fodor near the edge of the penalty area and fired a shot into the top left corner of the goal.

Ten minutes later, another quick break from defense to attack left the Eagles exposed in the back. Megan Augusta dribbled past Ashland’s last defender near midfield, and navigated around Plescia, who charged off her goal line to outside the penalty area. Augusta’s simple finish into an empty net gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead at halftime, despite having fewer shots (8-5) and corner kicks (4-1). 

The Eagles conceded a third less than two minutes into the second half, with Lauren Pratt receiving a pass from Kelly Johnson near the end line. Pratt slotted her shot underneath Plescia, who was positioned at the near post.

“We had to go for it, and it was either lose 5-0 or try to make it a game,” Krispinsky said. “We went for it, and that’s the price you pay.”

Goals by Summer Bourcier in the 70th minute and Johnson in the 75th minute rounded out the scoring.

It was the first time all season the Eagles conceded more than two goals and marked just their third multiple-goal defeat of 2013.

Northern Michigan

The Eagles came out hot in the first round of the GLIAC tournament, and this time they found the opening goal in a 1-0 win over Northern Michigan.

In the 22nd minute, Allison Richards flicked the ball through from the midfield to spring Lewis past the center of Northern Michigan’ defense. Her right-footed shot from about 12 yards struck the crossbar and bounced back into the field of play.

Frick, who was following the play from her center forward position, positioned herself perfectly to get the rebound and sent a blooping header back towards the goal.

“When I saw it come off the post I just watched it come off me and everyone was back by the goal so I just went at it and tried to head it as hard as I could,” Frick said. “Luckily, the backspin made it go that way.”

Frick’s shot cleared both Wildcats’ (5-9-3, 5-4-3) goalkeeper Alexandria Simmons and a defender, nestling into the top right corner of the goal to give the Eagles a lead they would not relinquish.

“Anytime you’re in a tournament situation, the idea is just to survive and advance,” Danny Krispinsky said. “That was the definition of today’s game.”

Ashland only conceded two total shots while taking nine and controlled play throughout.

Northern Michigan did not even attempt a shot until the 43rd minute.

Unfortunately, the Eagles never found a second goal, which nearly came back to haunt them in the late stages of the game.

Between the 70th and 76th minutes, the Wildcats attempted five corner kicks. 

In the 75th minute, one of those corners nearly led to disaster when Krispinsky, attempting to clear the ball out of danger, headed it towards her own goal.

Luckily, sophomore Ali Manley was there to deflect it over the crossbar.

“I just knew that the only way we were going to get out of that game was if we got that ball out of the back,” Plescia said. “Ali Manley sacrificed her life on the one that was about to go in.”

Ashland will now head to Grand Valley State for the GLIAC semifinals on Friday. The Eagles will play two-seed Michigan Tech at 4 p.m., and the winner of that match will play the winner of unbeaten GVSU and Ferris State in Sunday’s championship.