Farmington, Farmington Hills

Mercy soccer team aims for first district title since 2007 after 6-2 victory against Farmington

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Patricia O'Blenes Mercy freshman Margaret Terhune fights for the ball with Farmington senior Arielle Lockrie. The Marlins face Berkley in the district final at 6 p.m. June 2. Photo by Patricia O'Blenes Mercy freshman Margaret Terhune fights for the ball with Farmington senior Arielle Lockrie. The Marlins face Berkley in the district final at 6 p.m. June 2.

FARMINGTON HILLS — The weather may have put a damper on the first day of June, but it had no effect in slowing the Farmington Hills Mercy soccer team's offense.

The Marlins continued their march toward their first district title in five years June 1, scoring on their first three shots of a Division 1 semifinal on their way to a 6-2 victory against Farmington High.

“Any win is a good win at this time of the season, but the thing I really liked was how well the girls battled and played,” Mercy coach Butch Babler said after the win on a cool, windy and wet Friday night at North Farmington. “We spread the field out and moved the ball well. And to score on our first three shots against a very good goalie was pretty awesome.”

Mackenzie Higgins got the Marlins going, notching the game’s first goal just five minutes into the first half. She added her second goal less than two minutes later, and Mackenzie Williams made in 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game.

Irena Dedivani got the Falcons on the board midway through the first half, but Mercy’s Katie Arthur scored with 35 seconds remaining in the first half, all but sealing the win.

“That was huge,” Babler said. “Anytime you can get a goal with less than a minute, it does a lot for both teams.”

“Going into the half down 4-1, as opposed to 3-1, changes everything. That was a tough one to handle,” Farmington coach Matt Gasparotto said. “But really, I think how quickly they came out and got those first three goals was more devastating. You have to tip your hat to them.”

Williams and Higgins each scored again in the second half to give Mercy a 6-1 lead before Maggie Nelson capped the scoring for Famrington with roughly five minutes remaining in the game.

The Marlins (12-4-4) will shoot for their first district title since 2007 at 6 p.m. June 2 against Berkley High.

“We know very little about them,” Babler said with a laugh about Berkley. “We just have to play our game.”

Farmington ends the season with a 10-5-4 record.

“It’s hard to end a season on a loss, but there’s only one team out there that can end it all with a win,” Gasparotto said. “The 10 wins we put together this year is what we’ll remember and what we’ll build on. The legacy these seniors left here will carry over and help us get better moving forward.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1038. Follow Mike on Twitter.