Penalty kick sends Tigers past Wheaton Academy
By Anthony Zilis

Wheaton-Warrenville South and Wheaton Academy are both defensive-minded teams who have struggled to put the ball in the back of the net at this season.

So Wheaton Academy coach Dave Underwood wasn't at all surprised that the only time the ball crossed the plane of the goal in his team's 1-0 loss to the Tigers was off of a penalty kick.

“The complexion of the game went exactly as we probably expected it to go,” Underwood said. “We know that they're more talented than we are, but our MO is to defend like crazy, work hard, try to keep it close, and at the end of the game try to create some chances to maybe sneak in a win.”

In terms of offensive possession and chances created, the Tigers earned the edge.

“I think we played really well, we just didn't finish our chances,” goalscorer Dana Miller said. “We really needed that PK, but I really think we took more shots than we normally do … We've been struggling with connecting passes, but I think this game, and when we played Glenbard East yesterday, we finally got into a little bit more of a rhythm.”

Neither team was able to break through in the first half, but the Tigers had more of the chances.

After neither goalkeeper was challenged early, Wheaton-Warrenville South freshman Anna Fank found Miller at the top of the box, and the senior hit a shot just over the bar.

Four minutes later, junior Caroline Holmes almost found Fank with a through pass, but Wheaton Academy goalkeeper Jamie Netzley was able to cut the pass off to avert any danger.

The Tigers had perhaps their best chance of the first half when A.J. Jakuszewski played a long ball to Holmes, who cut back and beat her defender in the penalty area and fired a shot, which Netzley was able to save.

Miller said she could feel pressure from an organized Wheaton Academy defense all game.

“I felt like when I had someone on my back, there was someone behind them, too,” Miller said. “It was kind of hard because when you turned, you still had to beat someone else.”

After not threatening Netzley's goal for the first 20 minutes of the first half, Wheaton-Warrenville South switched from a flat back four to a diamond, providing extra support in the midfield and opening up the game. Tigers' sophomore Tori Adomschick hit a hard shot across the goal in the 62nd minute, but it went just past the post. Less than a minute later, Erin Madigan picked up a loose ball in the box and hit a low shot, but Netzley made a diving save to her left.

Five minutes later, senior Miller cut through Wheaton Academy defense into the left side of the box and hit a left-footed shot that rolled just past the opposite post.

The Tigers finally broke through with nine minutes remaining, when a nasty collision in the box gave them a penalty kick, which Miller placed into the lower right corner.

After the Tigers scored, Wheaton Academy began venturing into the final third, and Molly Thorson directed a header toward goal with three minutes left.

After a scramble in the box with just over a minute remaining, sophomore Annika Pearson controlled a loose ball in the box and looked toward goal, but she couldn't get a shot off before a Wheaton-Warrenville South defender swept the ball away.

The Tigers held out for their fifth win in six games, with a 1-0 loss to Naperville Central their only blemish. With a win against Wheaton North next week, the Tigers' seniors will win their fourth straight Wheaton Cup.

“That was a good win, because a lot of the girls know each other from growing up in this community,” Wheaton-Warrenville South coach Guy Callipari said. “The Wheaton Cup between the three schools is always an incentive in a game like this.”

Wheaton Academy suffered their second loss in their last seven. The Warriors have been strong in front of goal at times throughout the season, but Underwood says the team still needs to improve on creating opportunities game-in and game-out.

“It's kind of a microcosm of our season and who we are,” Underwood said. “We've created good chances, those weren't lucky opportunities, but it's a matter of consistently being able to build and find that, and that's what we're lacking right now.”