Scoring woes continue for Griffins in Lemont Cup opener
By Matt Le Cren
Lincoln-Way East's opening-round match Friday at the Lemont Cup was supposed be a new beginning.
Instead it was more of the same – another shutout loss.
Sheridon Newberry scored with 17:45 left in the second half to lift host Lemont to a 1-0 victory and a place in Saturday’s semifinals against Naperville North.
It was the sixth straight loss for the Griffins, who will take on Plainfield Central in the consolation bracket at 10 am.
East (7-11) has tallied just one goal during its losing streak and have been blanked in the last four matches.
The only score during the drought was by senior goalie Arianna Nie when she was playing forward against Downers Grove South.
"We were hoping to come out today and start over with a 0-0 slate," Nie said. "But I think the girls will still work hard and get our record up.
"Everyone's frustrated with the losing streak, especially me. But we're working as hard as we can."
Nie, who has signed with Lewis University, was brilliant between the pipes, making six saves to keep East in it.
In the first half she stoned Colleen Regan twice, knocking one hard shot around the left post and punching a 30-yard free kick wide of the right post.
Nie's best save came with 21:00 left in the second half when Lemont's Courtney Smalarz crossed from the right corner to an open Regan.
The Indians' fans were getting to their feet as Regan fired a one-timer from point-blank range but Nie dove to her right to keep the game scoreless.
But four minutes later, Lemont (12-5) broke through with a little help from a gusting wind.
Newberry took a pass from Riley Sullivan just inside the box, turned and fired a 14-yard shot with her left foot that Nie got a hand on but couldn't stop from going into the upper left corner.
"We're doing really good defensively," Nie said. "It's just those balls sometimes slip through, especially today with that wind. I would have had it if there was no wind.
"Actually, I had a hand on it. It was going out but it caught the wind and it went right back into the goal. It was frustrating."
While defenders Stephanie Budzinski, Hayley Gerdes, Stacy Sons and Theresa Tynski played well again and the Griffins had some success in the midfield, the final third of the field proved to be an enigma.
That has been an all too familiar story for East coach Brian Papa this year.
"It's just been the way the whole season has gone," Papa said. "We're always defending and it's getting old. We keep on telling the girls, 'It's up to you to fix it.' We can't go out there.
"We're changing lineups, throwing different people out there. It's not lack of effort. They do some good things. We don't know what it feels like to score a goal."
The Griffins managed just one shot, an 18-yarder by Gerdes that Lemont goalie Courtney Miklos made a diving stop on with 29:13 remaining.
But East did not have a single cross and only one corner kick, which was kicked out of bounds.
"I think we just need to work on shooting," Nie said. "Our last two practices the coaches have been doing a great job getting us to do finishing drills and I think we've just got to work on our chances."
With two consolation matches slated for Saturday and winnable games against Lockport and Reavis coming up next week, the Griffins still hope to finish the regular season on a high note.
"There's not one kid out there that I can get mad at because they're not trying – they're all trying," Papa said.
"Everybody's frustrated. But the fact remains that we'll show up tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock and all it takes is one goal to get the iceberg off."
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