MUSKEGON TOWNSHIP - Fruitport’s Riley Kettel managed to steal one all-but-certain goal away from Sophia Hekkema.
But denying Hekkema any more than that, particularly on Senior Night, with her team very much in need of some offense, was just not going to happen.
Hekkema was frustrated in the first half on Tuesday when she broke in alone on Kettel, Fruitport's skilled goalie, and seemed ready to score and give Reeths-Puffer the lead.
But Kettel came out of the net, dove and literally took the ball off from Hekkema’s foot before she had a chance to shoot, which helped to maintain a 0-0 score at halftime.
Hekkema more than made up for that lost opportunity in the second half, however, scoring twice on two more breakaways to help the Rockets post a very welcome 4-1 home victory over the Trojans.
R-P's Sophia Hekkema is denied a shot by Fruitport goalie Riley Kettel. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“That’s always been one of my biggest weaknesses, one-on-ones with goalies,” said Hekkema, who leads the team with 14 goals this season. “I always kind of choke. But I kind of just shrugged it off, telling myself we would have more opportunities. Then as soon as I was one-on-one again, I just said, ‘I’m going to get this one.’”
The victory was big for the Rockets, who had lost or tied five of their previous six games, including a 3-0 shutout loss to a good Spring Lake squad on Saturday.
The Rockets, now 8-4-2 overall, are more than ready to start playing their best, with just one more regular season game on the schedule before the O-K Green conference tournament begins.
Reeths-Puffer finished in second place in the regular season conference standings, following a tough 2-1 loss to first-place Mona Shores, and the Rockets are eager for another shot at the Sailors.
Hekkema gains control of the ball in front of a Fruitport defender. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“We are hopeful to get a rematch with Shores,” said R-P Coach Kody Harrell. “We want that one back.”
But to play their best, the Rockets needed to start scoring a lot more. They had only managed three goals in their three previous games and only eight in their previous seven games, with four coming in just one contest.
Needless to say, Harrell was very pleased to see the ball go in the net four times in the second half against Fruitport.
All of the Rockets’ goals came from seniors, which was fitting on a night when the soon-to-be graduating players were honored for their service to the R-P soccer program.
“Getting four today was nice,” Harrell said. “This is only about the fourth game of the year that we’ve scored more than two. We were down five players today, including three starters.
R-P's Irelyn Niklasch (18) works the ball away from a Fruitport player. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“There are some seniors on the team who usually play more supporting roles, but they were asked to do a little more tonight, and play different positions, and that resulted in us getting more goals.”
Reeths-Puffer had several scoring chances in the first half – including Hekkema’s breakaway and a shot that hit the goalpost – but failed to capitalize.
That changed about 10 minutes into the second half when Hekkema took a header pass from Billie Tryska, broke in alone on goal again and put the ball in the net.
Fruitport evened things up a few minutes later with a goal by Alexa Hanson-Wilbur.
R-P took control for good with just under 12 minutes left in the game when Hekkema got another breakaway and scored a second time from close range, giving the Rockets a 2-1 lead.
R-P's Ava McDaniel (13) passes the ball away from a Fruitport player. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Taeah Rensberger and Tryska added insurance goals down the stretch, and R-P was back in the victory column.
The Rockets outshot the Trojans 7-4. R-P goalie Ava Klopp played her usual great game, stopping three of four shots, including a leaping save of a high, hard shot in the second half that prevented a sure goal.
Hekkema said the frustration of the past few weeks, with the scoring slump and a few losses and ties, is now behind the Rockets, and they are ready to soar when the games matter the most.
“It’s perfect that we’re starting to score more than one or two goals a game, and we’re starting to gel,” she said.
