**Novi 2, Plymouth 1**

Stephanie Sheridan battles for a ball during Saturday's Division 1 final. (Ed Wright photo)

Division 1 soccer final has bizarre, heartbreaking ending for 'Cats

BY ED WRIGHT
June 19, 2010, 10:12 p.m.

  One after the other Saturday afternoon, members of Novi's girls soccer team jumped on the human victory pile, celebrating their second girls soccer title in the past four years.

  A few yards away, Plymouth players held their hands behind their heads, looking to the sky, still shocked at how the final seconds of the Division 1 state final unfolded in heart-breaking fashion.

  Novi won, 2-1, with 7:21 left in overtime when Morgan Haffey ripped a penalty kick into the back of the net moments after a Plymouth player was called for a hand ball in the 18-yard box.

  Although the Plymouth player's hand clearly touched the ball in the box as she fell down, the touching was inadvertent and didn't seem to gain an advantage for the Wildcats.

  "I was upset about the call," said Plymouth co-captain Jessica Heck. "It's not like it was intentional.

  "It was a tough way to lose, especially with a sudden-death penalty kick. But I'm just so proud of this team that we were able to get here, and especially because we were able to come back after falling behind early."

  Heck wasn't the only person wearing black and white who disapprove of the came-deciding decision by the referee.

  "Of course I didn't like it," said Plymouth coach Jeff Neschich. "Oh, man, that's a tough way to lose. But it is what it is.

  "We had an incredible run; every game went into overtime. It looked like we were out of this game  in the first half, but the girls got back into it in the second half and defended great. We made a few adjustments and we took more chances. I think in the first half we were playing too tentative."

  Taylor Hoover gave Novi a 1-0 lead in the game's 11th minute when she headed in a corner kick from Haffey. It marked the first time in the entire post season that the Wildcats trailed.

  Novi nearly doubled its lead six minutes later when Courtney Laux's quick shot from just outside the six-yard box hit the cross-bar.

  Novi outshot Plymouth, 9-2, in the first half. Both teams attempted two corner kicks.

  Plymouth completed a valiant comeback with 13:29 left in regulation when McKenzie Hengesh - who scored the 'Cats' lone goal in Wednesday's shoot-out victory over Portage Central - headed in a slick pass from Jen Babcock on a free kick.

  Novi nearly snatched the lead back four minutes later when Jessica Jarvis nailed the left post.

  Plymouth owned the momentum heading into the overtime until the infamous hand-ball call - a call some officials will let slide in such a critical situation in such a critical game.

  The game was played under blue skies on the plush Michigan State University DeMartin Complex pitch.

  "I'm sad we lost," Heck concluded, "but I couldn't be more proud of this team and what it accomplished. I'm looking forward to our final busride back home tonight."

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.

McKenzie Hengesh and a Novi player get tangled up in the first half. (EdWright photo)

McKenzie Hengesh wins a 50/50 ball. (Ed Wright photo)

Zoe Foster and the Novi keeper Gabby Gauruder collided during this first-half sequence. (Ed Wright photo)

Katie Krajewski and Novi's Ellen Brinza battle for the ball. (Ed Wright photo)

Plymouth's Stephanie Dillon outraces Novi's Katie Rudzinski to the ball. (Ed Wright photo)

Jessica Heck wins the ball from Novi's Kelli Timar. (Ed Wright photo)

Meeghan Hughes and Courtney Laux run stride for stride. (Ed Wright photo)

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