Hilltoppers' young team takes first step of 2012
By Chris Walker

 

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Wheaton North believes it has enough talent and creativity to score goals this season.

Seniors Sydney Sharkey and Tiffany Traxinger have plenty of experience and athleticism while Lexi Pelafas is a gifted freshman who is expected to step right in this season and play a pivotal role for the Falcons.

After getting blanked, 2-0, in Saturday's season opener against Glenbard North, the Falcons recovered on Monday, edging Glenbard West, 1-0, in a non-conference match in Wheaton.

Wheaton North (1-0-1) scored the game-winner in the 31st minute thanks to some head's up play by junior Linnae Giuliano.

Giuliano's throw-in was seemingly batted away from the danger zone in front of the net, but Giuliano was able to collect the ball and send it back toward the net where it somehow found its way through a mix of Falcons and Hilltoppers, while also eluding Glenbard West senior goalkeeper Anna Soane.

"Normally I try to get it into the center because there's so much chaos there and hopefully someone can get on it," Giuliano said. "I run out just in case there's a rebound like today, because you never know. Everyone is in the box and no one is on top so I was able to hit it in like I did this time."

The Falcons were only able to score one goal, and that's all they've scored through their first two matches, but they showed plenty of signs of life as they possessed the ball throughout most of the contest and simply dominated the final 15 minutes of the half.

During that timeframe, the Hilltoppers didn't put a shot on goal, while Sharkey sent a beautiful cross that came up empty and also took a shot that was secured by Soane, Traxinger had a good attempt off a corner but was too strong and Giuliano sent a 37-yard free kick that truly was booted about perfectly, as it took a backpedaling Soane to reach up and haul it in.

"Although we didn't possess throughout the entire first half, I thought we were organizing and more comfortable than on Saturday," Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. "Fortunately that one goal went in because throughout the run of play we made more chances and I was kind of surprised we didn't finish."

You're not going to score goals if you don't create a lot of opportunistic situations. The Falcons did that on Monday, even if they came up empty on all but one occasion.

"We have a lot people who can score this year," Traxinger said. "Syd (Sharkey) can take on four people at once. She's that good, and the freshman, Lexi (Pelafas), is going to add a lot to the team."

The players are there for the Falcons, but whether they can execute consistently this spring, is the big question.

"I think we have the people up there that are dangerous, McEvilly said. "Tiffany and Syd are experienced players who can create for themselves and others, Having one great player is fantastic, but having a bunch of great players gives you a chance to compete every time and I think that's what we have."

Glenbard West returned for the field for the first time this season and if a much different unit from a season ago. The Hilltoppers had nine players graduate after last season.

"We have a brand-new team so we're trying to put the pieces together," Hilltoppers coach Maciek Kusmierz said. "We're trying to make this team a competitive unit and we did OK today."

Matching the physical play of the Falcons proved to be problematic throughout the match for the Hilltoppers. Historically, this has been a problem for Kusmierz's teams when facing the Falcons.

"The physical part of the game. We just had a tough time dealing with it today," Kusmierz said. "They're more physical playing the long balls and winning the 50/50s. And then we weren't creating chances to get something out of the game."

Scoring chances were limited for the Hilltoppers. Sophomore Alex Levin hit the right post less than 10 minutes into the action and that was about as close as they team came to scoring.

"Wheaton North is a great team and definitely have bigger and faster girls then us, because we're a pretty small team," Glenbard West senior midfielder Natalie Salo said. "I thought we improved in the second half and took our time better possessing the ball and getting some chances."

The Hilltoppers will look to learn from its first game, similar to what the Falcons did after losing on Saturday.

"It's great to get the first game under our belt and stuff," Salo said. "I have no complaints really for this being our first game."