Redwings top Celtics on 2 Elder goals
By Anthony Zilis

Benet couldn't take advantage of chance after chance on Monday against Providence Catholic, hitting several shots wide or straight to the goalkeeper on the rainy afternoon.

But sophomore Loretta Elder was able to take advantage of two half-chances to provide the difference-makers in a 3-1 win, in an East Suburban Catholic Conference game in Lisle.

Elder scored straight off of a corner kick and later scooped up a ball that a Providence Catholic defender mis-handled and hit a clinical finish into the back of the net. She also notched an assist.

“It's hard to push out here, it's really slippery and the ball is going everywhere, but you've just got to push through it,” Elder said.

The bevy of chances began early for Benet.

In the fifth minute, senior Meaghan O'Hara found Michelle Morefield with a cross, but the junior couldn't finish. Five minutes later, Morefield found O'Hara with a cross, but the keeper was able to gather her shot.

O'Hara had a few more chances that went begging before Elder gave the Redwings the lead in the 26th minute on a dangerous corner that was pushed toward the goal by the wind.

“I was just hoping to get it in there and put one of my teammate's head on it,” Elder said. “The wind just took it and picked it up and put it in the back of the net.”

O'Hara finally scored when Elder dribbled to the end-line and played a pass to the senior just outside the six yard box. The senior coolly beat the goalkeeper.

Benet goalkeeper Emma Hlavin was only challenged once in the first half when she parried away a shot from distance late in the half, but the unfinished chances made for some nervy moments.

“We couldn't finish,” coach Bob Gros said. “It should've been 10-0. I'm not real pleased with that. I thought we played good soccer as usual, our possession was fine, we played hard, we just have people who aren't finishing right now.”

The Redwings once again had a few promising chances early in the second half, but shots from Amanda Kaiser and Jacquie Kaufman, among others, went wide.

Elder finally buried the clincher in the 64th minute when she placed her breakaway shot just out of the reach of the charging Providence goalkeeper and into the side netting.

The sophomore didn't even play half of the game because there are veterans in front of her in the pecking order, but she made her presence known.

“There are three seniors at my position and I'm only a sophomore so I understand that obviously I'm not highest on the totem pole, but when I'm out there, I give it my all,” Elder said. “I've just been working hard and getting better each game, and definitely my teammates help me to want to push harder.”

The Redwings allowed a goal late in the waning minutes to cut the lead to two, but the game was already in hand.

Benet notched its first win in three games, but Gros wasn't all smiles after the game. He was happy with Elder and his team's control of the game, but the finishing left something to be desired.

“This is a consistent problem we've had throughout the year,” Gros said. “I'm very pleased with [Elder] as a young player. I'm very pleased with all of my kids … We played good, solid soccer, even on a wet, sloppy field like that, we had nice possession, we pretty much controlled the game.”