Wolverine Conference play opened up with a bang Wednesday night at Bulldog Stadium, as last year's conference champion Paw Paw Redskins faced conference runners-up Otsego. The match was a hotly contested affair that was a battle of physicality, ball movement, and tough tackling early. Paw Paw drew a foul to the left of the box, 28 yards from the Bulldogs' net early in the first half. Karly Babcock rifled the ball over the reach of goalkeeper Matti Rayman to put the visitors up 1-0. Otsego would answer back as Gracie VerHage was allowed to get onto her left foot 20 yards from goal and buried a low drive to level the score. Gracie would again find the back of the net just minutes later on a give-and-go play with Sophomore Ambre Powell the put the Bulldogs up 2-1. Just before half the Bulldog back line took a big blow losing Senior center back Cayla Koshar to an apparent knee injury. She would not return, and the game went to halftime 2-1 in favor of Otsego.

The second half saw more of the same physicality and fire between the teams. Cait Kitchen, who was dominant on the left wing the majority of the night, dribbled past a defender and provided an excellent service to the far post. The goalkeeper came off her line to challenge Drobny who was arriving inside the six, but neither of them could get the definitive touch and the ball bounced to a waiting Ambre Powell near the endline. From a seemingly impossible angle, Ambre smashed home a volley with her right foot to put her squad up 3-1. After a few good Paw Paw attacks that led to corner kicks, a foul committed on Captain Erica Drobny earned a Paw Paw defender a yellow card and a direct kick for Otsego. Gracie VerHage extended the Bulldog lead with a strike that found the roof of the net from 30 yards out. From then on it was all Bulldogs, with Paw Paw only able to create a few half chances on Rayman's net. Drobny rounded out the scoring with a gritty and impressive goal that found its way under Sophomore keeper Rachel Babcock to put the game to bed.

Solid defensive efforts all around, and a midfield battle that was fought for tooth and nail were the keys to victory for the Bulldogs. Senior Kara Jubenville stepped into the center of defense for the injured Koshar and shut down the talented Paw Paw striker (Megan Huggett). Sophomore Alexis Petty and Senior Captain Colleen Waters shut down the middle of the field and made very efficient decisions with the ball all night. A rotation of outside backs that included our two freshmen and Sophomore McKenzie Milton handled the wide areas well in the second half to close out the match. Otsego edged Paw Paw in shots on goal 14 to 10.

Goals: VerHage(3), Powell, Drobny

Assists: Powell, Kitchen

Saves: Rayman(9)

Player of the Game: Kara Jubenville