For Northwood's girls’ soccer team, it's all mental.

Northwood senior soccer player Holly Slater (right) finds the soccer ball between her and a defender. (Photo by Don Thompson/picasaweb.google. com/donrachael)

That's according to first-year Rangers coach Monte Bandeen, who spent the previous seven years as an assistant coach at Cardinal Stritch.

“We are the type of team that, if we show up with the right mentality and we play our style of soccer, we can compete with anybody,” Bandeen said. “I like to play a lot of possession, just holding onto the ball and keeping the ball away from the other team and creating opportunities by holding onto it.

“Before, Northwood used to play a lot of kick and run — kick it ahead and let their athletes go get it. That doesn't work when you play better teams. I've told the girls, the other team can't score on us if we have the ball.”

The Rangers compete in Division I of the Northwest Ohio Scholastic Soccer League (NWOSSL), which includes programs from Central Catholic, Clay, Notre Dame Academy and St. Ursula Academy.

Entering weekend play, Northwood was 7-4-1 overall, but 0-3 in the NWOSSL, with league losses to Central (4-0), St. Ursula (7-0) and Clay (2-0). The Rangers, who were missing two of their top players, also lost to non-league rival Lake 1-0.

“St. Ursula beat us pretty good,” Bandeen said, “but they are one of the top Division I teams in Northwest Ohio, if not the whole state.”

The Rangers, who have scored 46 goals, own victories over Toledo Christian, Cory-Rawson, Fremont Ross, Eastwood, Whitmer, Waite and Delta. Northwood, which returned 20 letter winners from last year's squad, has two seniors (forward Rebecca Avery and defender Holly Slater) and 12 juniors.

“Rebecca is a hard-working player,” Bandeen said. “She plays midfield and forward for me and pretty much does whatever I ask of her. She plays an outside mid and is more of a set-up person. She works real hard to track back and help on defense. Holly is quick and tenacious. She plays outside defense really well and she's a team leader. Both of them are team captains, but Holly is more of the vocal leader.”

The Rangers' top juniors include sweeper/middle defender Marissa Ramirez, forward Jessica Grindle and midfielder/forward Sandy Koch. Grindle leads the team with 12 goals, while Koch is the second-leading scorer and one of the Rangers' assists leaders along with Grindle.

“Marissa is in the right place at the right time all the time,” Bandeen said. “She's about as fast as they come. Jessica is fast, strong and has a really hard shot and a nose for the goal. She's a very hard worker. She can never do enough. A goalie can make a great save and she'll be mad that she didn't score. Sandy is fast and strong and has a cannon of a shot.”

The coach said another one of his top players is junior midfielder Kayla Kurth.

“She's extremely fast,” Bandeen said. “She has long strides and wins a lot of balls in the air. She can beat a lot of

Northwood sophomore soccer player Taylor Cruz takes the ball downfield. (Photo by Don Thompson/picasaweb.google.com/donrachael)

 people with her dribble. She would be one of my leading goal scorers if she was a forward. She sees the field and makes good decisions with the ball and makes good passes.”

Junior goalie Megan Hess has an 0.89 save percentage.

“She works hard at getting better fundamentally,” Bandeen said. “She's a very tall goalie and for her size, she is quick getting to the ground and she puts herself in position to make the save. And, she has very solid hands.”

The Rangers also rely on the solid defense of sophomore midfielder Taylor Cruz.

“She wins a lot of 50-50 balls and makes passes out of the midfield to the forwards,” Bandeen said. “She wins a lot of balls in the air because of her strength.”

Northwood will compete in the Division II sectional beginning Oct. 18. Other teams in the Rangers' sectional include Genoa, Cardinal Stritch, Lake, Woodmore, and Oak Harbor.

“I really think that if we show up and we play the right style of soccer we're capable of playing, I think we can go farther than any Northwood team has ever gone,” Bandeen said. “They've gotten to the sectional finals, but I think we can reach the district if we play our style of soccer.”

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