Hornets put 3 on the board at Leyden
By Gary Larsen

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Hinsdale South needed a goal in the worst way heading into Thursday’s game at Leyden, having lost 1-0 in its previous two outings.

Sophomore Alissa Lokanc obliged the Hornets twice and freshman teammate Julie Reschke added a third goal in a welcome 3-0 win against the Eagles in Northlake.

Twice early on, Lokanc had a ball on her foot and streaked up the right side and fought to cross it. On her third trip deep into Eagles territory, she made a decision from a tough angle near the endline.

“I pulled the trigger on the shot because the goalie was coming into the front post and I knew I had a few players back,” Lokanc said. “I knew if that wasn’t available I had the option to pass it back. I decided to take the shot and luckily it went it.”

The Hornets had a 1-0 lead at the game’s 15-minute mark, and Hornets coach Pat Wolf was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

“(Lokanc) has been hitting the ball good in practice and I told (assistant coach Jen Belmonte) that she was going to get one,” Wolf said. “She’s been snakebit so it was nice to see her get two today.”

South’s second goal came at 27 minutes, set up by a corner kick to the near post sent by Jess Koziol. Reschke was there to punch it home and the Hornets had struck twice while playing into a stiff and cold wind in the first half.

The Hornets maintained the better of play in the second half. Mary Claire Ladd hit a hard shot right into the arms of Leyden’s keeper at 46 minutes and Lokanc headed a Koziol corner kick feed wide of net at 53 minutes.

Koziol battled her way with the ball to the corner on a few exchanges, and centered a ball at 57 minutes that Betta Bifero shot wide.

The Hornets went up 3-0 at 58 minutes when Koziol sent in a perfect corner kick feed and Lokanc got onto the end of it.

“I saw the ball coming on the spin and with the wind it gets a little iffy whether the ball is coming or not,” Lokanc said. “I decided to stick with my position, of where I was going, and I was lucky that it came to my head and I was able to score.”

Wolf was especially pleased with his side’s third goal.

“I love corner kicks and we practiced them yesterday,” Wolf said. “Jess has such a good ball and you just have to want to go get it.”

Bifero and Koziol held down the central midfield throughout while Alyssa Collins and Kerry Just put in a good day’s work on the outside.

Thursday also marked the Hornets first shutout of the season for keeper Vanessa Niestrom and her backline. South gave up too many goal in its first three games but followed a pair of 1-0 losses by blanking Leyden.

Ladd, Brenda Maugeri, Colleen McPherson, and Carolanne Pilch kept Leyden from finding dangerous space throughout the contest.

“I feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel,” Niestrom said. “We’ve been doing really good with communicating and today we put some passes together. Our defenders are getting better at relaxing, taking the first touch, and playing it and not panicking.

“All four of the girls in front of me are strong players and I trust them a lot. We gave up some goals early on but we were still trying to figure everything out. We have a lot of new, young players and sometimes it’s hard for them to step up and play under pressure on a varsity team, but they’re doing a really good job of adjusting.”

Niestrom was vocal and energetic throughout the shutout.

“Vanessa’s been good and Brenda in front of her is super quick,” Wolf said. “When were were playing Evanston we put her up top at the very end and she almost scored a couple goals. She’s just quick.

“But Vanessa is good and she’s still young. She’s a junior but she’s got such an upside. She takes charge and she’s got a little moxie. She takes charge and she’s also supportive back there, and that’s what you want.

“Carolanne is a four-year starter and she’s probably been our most consistent player so far this year. She’s a senior leader, one of our captains, and she just plays hard all the time, ever since she was a freshman.. She’s a competitor and she’s steady. And Colleen is just even keel, she defends so well, and when she gets the ball she has the ability to make something happen with it.”

The Hornets kick off Pepsi Showdown play on Monday when they travel to Oak Park and River Forest.