FRUITPORT - The last time Ava Callender played soccer before Saturday, she left the game feeling lightheaded and miserable.
The Reeths-Puffer freshman was playing goalie against Mona Shores last month when she went for the ball and collided hard with an opponent.
“I came out for a ball, I went down, and I just hit my face really hard on her leg,” Callender said “I couldn't see at first, and when I looked up, I could barely tell who my sister was. It was kind of a scary moment.”
Callender ended up with a nasty concussion that kept her out of the lineup for several weeks.
R-P goalie Ava Callender, left, after making a save. Photo/Jeremy Clark
She finally returned on Saturday with a pretty big assignment – to shut down a very skilled Fruitport squad with some big scorers that was on a four-game winning streak.
“I was nervous,” Callender said. ““It was like, I was here before, I've been on this field, but it’s a different aspect coming back from an injury like that. The mental battles are so much harder.”
As it turned out, she did great, making three huge saves to help the Rockets shut out the Trojans 2-0 on the road in a pretty intense non-conference matchup.
Her first big stop came a little more than 10 minutes into the game, when a Fruitport player broke in alone and shot from close range and Callender denied her.
R-P's Mallorie Messer (9). Photo/Jeremy Clark
The other big saves came late in the first half and midway through the second, when she drove hard to deflect shots that otherwise would have found the net.
“I really didn't know if I was gonna get the second one,” Callender said about the diving saves. “I just jumped and pushed and dove as hard as I could at it. My training paid off, I guess!”
Callender’s performance reminded R-P head coach Kody Harrell that goalkeeping is a very big strength for his team, regardless of who plays between the pipes.
On Thursday senior Sara Carlson – who was the starter last year and has been filling in for the past few weeks - played great in a 2-1 victory over Mona Shores, then on Saturday Callender showed everyone she hasn’t skipped a beat.
R-P's Ashlyn David, who scored a goal. Photo/Jeremy Clark
“For her to get a clean sheet and make three huge saves in her first game back was great,” Harrell said about Callender. ‘I was so happy for Ava to be able to have a day like today.”
There wasn’t a ton of offense in Saturday’s game. R-P had a 5-4 edge in shots on goal, and cashed in on two of those opportunities
Junior Jaslynn Kops scored her team-leading 21st goal with a shot from about 15 yards out midway through the first half to give the Rockets the lead.
Junior Ashlyn David sealed up the win with a goal with about 8:55 remaining in the game.
The Rockets celebrate a goal. Photo/Jeremy Clark
Before Saturday, Fruitport had not given up a goal in four games.
The victory improved the Rockets’ record to 8-5-1 on the season, but more importantly, they got their fourth win in their last five games, providing good momentum heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
The Rockets have three games left before the state tournament begins.
“This is the most comfortable and confident I've ever felt going into districts,” Harrell said. ‘It’s just all about what these girls are doing really well, and just their togetherness and their mindset. They are must a joy to be around.”