By Cort Reynolds
The Bluffton High School girls soccer team scored early and made the lead stand up with a 2-0 shutout of visiting Northwest Conference rival Ada Tuesday evening at Steinmetz Field to stay atop the league standings.
The first-place Pirate girls improved to 8-4-1 overall and 5-0 in NWC play with the win.
Defending champion Bluffton clinched at least a tie for first place in the league with just one conference match remaining.
Second-place Allen East is 4-1 in league play, followed by Columbus Grove at 3-1. The Pirates already beat AE 3-2 on September 19.
Bluffton hosts rival Grove in their NWC finale October 3, and can capture the outright title again with a win or tie.
With the defeat, the Ada records fell to 5-3-2 overall and 1-3 in NWC action.
Pirate Jasmine Hasting scored in the ninth minute off an assist from Aubrey Burkholder to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Lily Dagani extended the margin to 2-0 with an unassisted goal in the 29th minute.
The Pirates put 15 of their 21 shots on goal. All three of Ada’s shots were on target.
Bulldog senior keeper Katie Sizemore saved 13 shots, while Pirate keeper Kynzie Ewing stopped all three Ada shots.
Bluffton hosts non-league foe Kalida (4-4-3) Saturday, September 30 at 10 a.m.
Ada (1-1-1 NCOSA) hosts Cory-Rawson (0-8-1, 0-3-1 NCOSA) Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. in the back end of a boys/girls North Central Ohio Soccer Association doubleheader.
