Bulldogs struggle to find the net in draw with Sabres

By Dan Santaromita

It's been the same old story for Batavia. The Bulldogs are having trouble scoring and are struggling to get results.

In a match where Batavia outshot Streamwood, all the Bulldogs could muster was one goal in a 1-1 draw in Tuesday's Upstate Eight Conference River Division match at Millennium Field.

"We can’t score, it's the same stuff," Batavia coach Mark Gianfrancesco said. "We need to get better at putting balls in the back of the net, creating opportunities, playing with some intensity.

"We don't do that, then we're not going to do very well tomorrow against St. Charles North and we're not going to do very well in the regional."

Gianfrancesco's frustration was evident after the team has only scored three goals in its last five matches and has gone winless during that streak.

The coach said the only thing the team did well was transition.

"We've got some very talented players, but sometimes we don't come to play," he said.

The first half was mostly even and goalless. Both sides were able to get into the final third and create shots, but neither goalkeeper had to make any tough saves.

After allowing Streamwood a few chances to start the second half, Batavia (7-7-5, 2-2-1) took control of the match. The Bulldogs took the lead in the 50th minute following a set piece.

Lalo Cuautle's free kick into the area wasn't initially cleared and Michael Hindel was able to slide onto the ball to knock it into the net.

Even after the goal, the Bulldogs kept the run of play, but couldn't convert numerous corners to double the lead.

Those missed opportunities came back to haunt Batavia when Streamwood converted a set piece of their own.

Sabres' defender Victor Aguilar hit a well-struck free kick from the left that curved onto Alejandro Avalos' lunging leg for the goal.

"I'm looking for pretty much people making the runs in towards the goal, crash the goal somehow and someone will luckily hit it in," Aguilar said of his free kicks, of which there were a few dangerous ones past midfield.

Batavia almost answered a couple minutes later, but Calvin Baez's screamer zinged just wide of Jose Resendiz (11 saves) in goal.

"I think we played really well against Batavia, they're a very good team," Streamwood coach Matt Polovin said. They've got some excellent players our there.

"They've got (Cody) Balogh, Anthony Torres, Cody Witkowski, Justin Carey, they've got some top players out there."

Witkowski caused the Streamwood defense problems but he was unable to create a goal, either for himself or his teammates with any of his chances.

"We were trying to communicate and stay tight with the forwards and not let them make their runs," Aguilar said. "We tried to get to the ball first."

Batavia keeper Ben Steskal (8 saves) made a few quality saves, but Streamwood was unable to put difficult shots on goal.

The Sabres have scored more than one goal only twice this year.

"We haven't had many games where we're scoring a lot of goals, but we don't give up," Polovin said. "We keep pressing and pressing and pressing and you know it worked.

"We had that free kick and Alejandro came flying across took his leg up and got it before the goalie got it."

The Bulldogs will host St. Charles North Wednesday at 7 p.m. to finish the regular season before facing Benet Academy in the Naperville Central Regional next Tuesday.