Warriors break out scoring legs in regional opener
By Dave Owen

Wheaton Academy’s scoring slump ended quickly and emphatically on Tuesday.

Limited to one goal in their previous four games, the Warriors (10-9-3) scored 16 seconds into their Class 2A Glenbard South regional semifinal match with Chicago Hancock.

The offensive blitz continued with a 5-0 lead just over eight minutes into the match, and Wheaton Academy closed with a 9-0 win despite playing a non-attacking possession style for the final 40 minutes.

“With as much as we’ve been struggling to score goals, no matter who it (the opponent) is it builds confidence,” said Warriors’ coach David Underwood, whose team’s previous season high was six goals.

“We were able to work on some things that we’ve been working on in practice to try to create goal scoring opportunities, and to see that (goal) 16 seconds into the game – OK, looks good.”

Junior Abby Olson scored that goal off a pass from freshman Jamie Netzley, as the Warriors attacked right off the kickoff. Olson would go on to a very quick hat trick – she tipped in a Netzley cross with 32:56 left to put her team up 4-0, then intercepted a goal kick and lined a 10-yard breakaway shot into the net to make the score 6-0 with 25:48 left.

Olson and many starters exited the game after that goal, having enjoyed a rare offensive breakout against an admittedly overmatched opponent.

“I think consistency (on offense) has definitely been missing,” Olson said. “We possess really well on the defensive end, and when it gets to offense we can’t put it in. But we’re definitely working on it a lot in practice, so I think it will come.”

Olson also initiated Wheaton Academy’s second goal just 1:40 into the match. Julia Della Torre’s header off Olson’s cross was saved, but Emily Mascari put away a 12-yard rebound.

Less than two minutes later, Netzley’s cross from left of the net deflected off a Hancock defender and in for a 3-0 lead. Then shortly after Olson’s second goal, Eaden Bond fired a low 22-yard shot into the net to complete the Warriors’ decisive outburst of five goals in nine minutes.

Senior Anne Hillstrom added two goals the rest of the way – she tipped in a Kate Lindsay shot that deflected off the goalkeeper’s hands 21:40 before halftime, then finished the scoring off a Britta Cassel corner kick with 3:56 left in the match.

In between Hillstrom’s goals, freshman Cassel sent a corner kick directly into the far side of the net 3:40 before halftime to put the Warriors up 8-0 at halftime.

Tuesday’s lopsided match was a tune-up for a much bigger challenge ahead, as the Warriors face host Glenbard South on Friday in a bid for Wheaton Academy’s sixth regional title in a row.

“We’re looking forward to Friday,” Underwood said. “We know that’s going to be a very good game. We really respect them. We’ve played some common opponents with almost identical results, so we know we’re going to have to play extremely well Friday to beat Glenbard South.”

One advantage for the Warriors will be a return to full strength. Senior defender Deb Smith and standout sophomore midfielder Molly Thorson missed Tuesday’s game with injuries but will be back Friday.

“We were very strategic in some of the girls we sat,” Underwood said. “Molly Thorson is a first team all-sectional player, and she could have played today but we said, ‘let’s not.’ Deb Smith is another girl that starts at left back. We’ll have our full side on Friday.

“This (game) gave us the opportunity to move the ball around and possess. We’ve got some injuries with key players sitting out and a couple of other girls that went that we didn’t have to use a lot today.”

 Outside of corner kicks, Wheaton Academy avoided any attempts to score from the flow of play after going up 7-0.

“I think it was a good game for us to learn how to possess and learn how to make some good set pieces up top, because we struggle to score a lot,” Hillstrom said.

Opponents have struggled themselves against the Warriors’ defense. Tuesday’s win marked the 10th shutout of the season for goalkeeper Julia McKee and a defender corps led by Meredith Matson, Alli Manske, Smith, Abbie Mercaldo and freshman Gabrielle LaMantia.

“We’ve grown a lot as a team this year,” said Underwood, whose squad starts six freshmen or sophomores. “I feel we defend extremely well.”

Junior Ali Grant and sophomores Thorson and Mascari have also been instrumental defensively at midfield spots.

“We defend well enough to make a deep run in the tournament, but it’s just a matter of whether we can find a way to score goals,” Underwood said. “Some games we’ve found it. To hang two on Glenwood, a team that was in the state finals last year – they’re one of the top teams in the state if not the odds on favorite to win it all.

“To play them as tough as we did (a 2-2 halftime tie in a 4-2 loss) and hang in tough with Benet, Wheaton Warrenville South (one-goal losses) – we’ve played a tough schedule, and we feel that it’s prepared us well.”

The Warriors’ young foundation for the future has made an impression on their teammates.

“They have so much potential – they’re going to be absolutely great players,” Hillstrom said. “They’re working hard in practice and giving everything they have, and we’re making sure we keep them encouraged and positive.”

“The freshmen have really stepped up this year,” Olson said, “and I think we’re bonding really well as a team and working together.”

The Warriors hope Friday’s challenge against Glenbard South can bring another step forward.

 “I think possessing is definitely a key (Friday),” Olson said. Our defense is really solid. We need to definitely get some goals in early so we can get ahead and then start possessing.”