BY DAN STICKRADT
WEB AND CONTENT EDITOR
Twitter: @MiSoccerNetwork
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – Lexi Calcamuggio was not called upon very often during 80 minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of overtime Saturday afternoon. Neither was her counterpart Alice Max.
But goalkeeping more than stole the show in a shootout – especially the stellar play of Calcamuggio.
The sophomore from Rochester Adams stopped all four shots she faced while Max stopped one of three for Rochester, but it was Calcamuggio and the sixth-ranked Highlanders that prevailed in the end, 1-0, in a Division 1 district finals victory over district host Rochester.
Just 10 days prior, Rochester Adams had an OAA-Red Division make-up game with Bloomfield Hills and as soon as it was over, the Adams players all drove down to Rochester for the conclusion of its pre-district contest with defending state champion Rochester Stoney Creek. In particular, it was the aforementioned Calcamuggio studying both teams in a shootout – Rochester won 1-0 and advanced with a 6-5 edge in a shootout – take their penalties just in case one of the two reached the district finals and faced Adams (12-2-2).
The extra credit more than paid off.
Calcamuggio stopped Rochester’s first four shooters – something she had never done before in her young career at any level – while sophomore teammate Morgan Muir tucked one in the upper right corner on the Adams third shot and junior Samantha Hawkins sank her blast into the lower left corner on the Highlanders’ third shot before Calcamuggio stopped Rochester senior Karsen Jackson on Rochester’s fourth shot.
Adams had a 2-0 lead in the shootout at that point and there was no need to continue, as Hawkins’ penalty shot and Calcamuggio’s rare four saves in the shootout ended the marathon contest and sends Adams to its first district title since winning back-to-back crowns in 2018 and 2019.
Adams lost in the district opener to Lake Orion last season (1-0) and lost in the district semifinals in both 2021 and 2022, including to Rochester in that 2022 district semifinals contest.
“We did come watch the end of that game and went it went to a shootout I studied each girl to see here they would shoot it or how they approached (the ball),” said Calcamuggio. “I had an idea but sometimes you just guess what way you are going.
“We lost in that first round last year, but we have a lot of returners so in the back of our minds. We wanted to win it this year because that is not how we planned on going out last year,” added Calcamuggio.
Adams advances to the Rochester Stoney creek regional Tuesday at 5 p.m. against Macomb Area Conference-Red Division third-place finisher New Baltimore Anchor Bay, a team that reached the regional finals last season.
Calcamuggio recorded two official saves during the first half and even though she knocked away a couple of crosses and set pieces during the 100 minutes of open play, did not register another save until her four stops in the shootout.
Max, Rochester’s 6-foot-2 junior and NCAA Division I basketball recruit, only had three stops through 100 minutes and recorded a save in the shootout on Adams’ first shooter.
But in a game when there were so few shots on frame for either side, it was a sophomore in her first season as a varsity starter who came through in the clutch.
“That was all Lexi,” smiled Adams coach Josh Hickey of his goalkeeper’s performance in the shootout. “She came through bigtime for us.
“We knew it was going to be hard to score. But I think we both battled pretty hard,” continued Hickey. “It deserved to go to a shootout to be honest with you. Kids deserved, on both side, to have the chance to win that game (in a shootout).”
Adams held a 10-5 overall shots advantage in a game where chances were at a minimum, including just 3-2 with shots on frame. The Highlanders also held a 3-1 edge on cornerkicks.
“I am so proud of this team. We have so hard this season and for years and we know the competition is like no other,” offered senior Dani Danko. “Everyone is going to battle in every game and those games are nothing like the games you play in the regular season. Anyone can win it no matter (what) your record (is) in the season. We are so lucky to come out of this district in (five) years. I know the seniors could not be happier.”
Rochester (11-7-3) controlled play for the final 25 minutes of the first half but struggled to put much on frame after that point in falling in the district finals for the second straight season. Last year’s the Falcons dropped a 3-1 decision in the district finals to then-No. 3-ranked and eventual state champion Rochester Stoney Creek when Rochester was the No. 1-ranked team in the state. This season the Falcons battled through some inconsistency but were in virtually every game this season.
“(The Adams goalie) made four saves so credit to her. I can’t recall seeing that many saves in a shootout,” sighed Rochester coach Doug Steinard. “Kudos to her. I thought this was a pretty even affair. There weren’t a ton of clear-cut (scoring) opportunities. I think Adams had one in overtime that went wide. It was two teams that know each other and it was a district final. It was just a close rivalry game.”
It marked the third straight year that Rochester played in the district finals after not playing in one from 2014 through 2021.
“We came a long ways this season, as we didn’t have the offensive (firepower) like we did the last three years and we had a lot of players who were in different rolls that in the past,” added Steinard. “We lose some key players (to graduation) and around eight girls I think, but we’ll bring back quite a bit next year and hopefully we can get back here.”
(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the Michigan Soccer Network regarding club soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer of teams or players with Michigan ties, contact Communications Specialist/Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at stickradt@michigansoccernetwork.com, or call 248-884-1051. Dan Stickradt is a 31-year veteran of the Michigan Media circles and recently joined the staff full time in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/MSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@michigansoccernetwork.com.)
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