Hartland’s girls soccer team passed a huge early litmus test by beating Troy Athens 1-0 on Monday, March 23.
The game featured two state-ranked Division 1 teams, No. 6 Hartland and No. 7 Athens.
Hartland (3-0) lost 4-1 to Athens in the third game of the 2025 season. These programs met in the 2021 state Division 1 championship game, with the Eagles winning 4-0.
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Sophomore Elise L’Esperance scored the game’s only goal 15 minutes into the second half off a pass from Paige Sundman. Sophomore Haley DePestel made 11 saves for the shutout.
“The defense played really well tonight,” Hartland coach Andrew Kartsounes said. “I really want to call out Addison Trammel and Ellie Curtis, our two sophomore center backs. They really kept things well-organized.
“This is a big win. They beat us 4-1 last year right about the same time, so it was a really good effort and a good win.”
Hartland will host another state-ranked team when No. 9 Rochester Adams visits the Eagles at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.
On Tuesday, March 24, Pinckney and Livingston Christian played to a 0-0 deadlock.
Girls lacrosse
Brighton 9, Birmingham 6
Kelly McKaig scored three goals, Quinn Holdridge had two goals and three assists, and Hanna Ramirez had two goals for Brighton. Behlke Graves made eight saves for the Bulldogs.
Howell 13, Swartz Creek 8
Janie Mitter had five goals and two assists and caused three turnovers to lead Howell. Nora Rioux had five goals and one assist, while Evie Nicholas had a goal and two assists.
Boys lacrosse
Grand Ledge 8, Hartland 7
Hartland fell to 0-2, losing to a Grand Ledge team that eliminated the Eagles in the state quarterfinals last season.
Kellan Hull won 16 of 18 faceoffs and picked up eight ground balls for the Eagles. Connor Gilbert scored three goals, Liam Quick had a goal and one assist, and Clayton Penzien had two assists for Hartland.
Girls tennis
Hartland 7, Flushing 1
Singles: Arianna Kinney (H) d. Keira Dumas-Knieper 6-2, 6-1; Baylee Kotrba (H) d. Grace Hebeler 7-5, 6-4; Leda Pantelas (H) d. Chandler Davis 6-2, 7-6 (4); Macy Lemmen (H) d. Laiken Lindstrom 2-6, 6-2, 10-5.
Doubles: Allie Perry-Ally Tunnicliff (F) d. Daphne Pargulski-Eliza Ernest 3-6, 6-2, 10-7; Avery Shaw-Becca Brock (H) d. Bridget Preston-Cadence McNenly 6-3, 1-6, 10-6; Stella Kelsey-Maria DiMatteo (H) d. Payton Irish-Elianna Pattee 6-1, 6-1; Gabriella McClue-Isabella Gembel (H) d. Antonya Flowers-Kylie Forbes 6-0, 6-3.
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Hartland girls soccer edges Troy Athens in clash of state-ranked teams
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
