Petoskey girls soccer leads Cadillac in Big North opener

PETOSKEY — Each game this season for the Petoskey girls soccer team has presented a new challenge to their undefeated record that began less than two weeks ago.

And, every attempt has been passed with the same result: At least a pair of goals on the board and a shutout on the other side.

That continued when the real season started Tuesday at Northmen Stadium, when Big North Conference rival Cadillac made the trip home with a 2-0 loss.

Petoskey head coach Zach Jonker has liked his team’s response in each game this season, each one a little different.

“The pressure we’ve faced has gradually increased over these four games and we’ll see TC Central on Thursday,” Jonker said. “They are probably the favorites of the league, the defending champions, so that will be the next step that we will have to deal with. Up until this point, we have been passing with flying colors.”

Tuesday’s win over Cadillac kept alive a three-game losing streak against the Vikings dating back to last season.

Petoskey’s streak of four shutouts and at least two shutouts is also the first time a PHS girls team has done so in more than 15 years.

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A veteran backline group should provide the balance, along with junior goalie Sadie Corey, but as Jonker points out, it’s the team’s focus to disrupt the opposition all over the field right now.

“I’m really pleased with the way Sadie and the back row have been playing,” Jonker said. “They are the ones who should be called in an emergency, but it’s a team concept that we preach. Our pressure starts even with our attackers. When everyone has their job and is called, the other team has a hard time building up and putting us under pressure.”

Most of Tuesday night was scoreless, until Annika Gandhi followed up her initial shot that was blocked by the Cadillac goalkeeper and buried the rebound into the back of the net with 28 minutes left in the game.

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For Gandhi, it remained alive to score at least one goal in each of the first four matches, with it also being his fifth of the season.

“It’s hard for defenders to handle,” Jonker said. “He’s got power and speed and he’s got a lot of range on his shot. He’s off to a good start.”

Petoskey’s second goal then came as a memorable one of the season, as freshman Madylin Smith scored her first varsity goal with less than 23 minutes remaining. Like Gandhi, Smith followed up with a strong shot off the free kick and cleared the rebound.

“He showed up at the right time,” added Jonker. “It was definitely nice to have that insurance target.”

Next-ranked TC Central is 2-1-2 to start the season, though it has come against tough opponents and lost to Traverse City West in the league recently.

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