Chicagoland Soccer

Weary Warriors get it done vs. West Chicago
By Matt Le Cren

Sometimes a team just has to gut out a victory.

That’s what Wheaton Academy did Wednesday night, knocking off upset-minded West Chicago 3-1 despite being outplayed for long stretches.

The visiting Warriors (6-4), who were playing their seventh game in nine days, grabbed a 2-1 halftime lead and decided to play prevent defense after intermission, a strategy that nearly backfired.

“With their style of play, they turn and take it right at you and we were struggling a little bit with that, particularly in the first half,” Wheaton Academy coach Dave Underwood said. “We felt we were over-committing and diving in, so not that we were trying to ride out a 2-1 lead, but we did talk at halftime about let’s just play conservatively, let’s make sure we keep everything in front of us and find our marks.

“It’s not a pretty style. We know it’s not. Its win the ball, bang it deep and if we can get on the other end of it, great. If not, we’ll take a 2-1 win.”

Despite being outshot 14-5 in the second half, Wheaton Academy tallied the only goal of the period on a counterattack with 29:23 to play. A shot by sophomore midfielder Abby Oleson hit the inside of the right post and bounced across the crease to junior midfielder Alli Manske for an easy finish.

Besides that play, most of the action was down the other end, where the Wildcats (4-9-1) were showcasing a newfound offensive vigor thanks to a switch to a three-person forward line.

The hosts had several prime chances, including a three-shot flurry that would have tied the game in the 46th minute.

A cross from Andie Lazzerini was heading in before freshman defender Emily Mascari cleared the ball off the line. The Wildcats had two more cracks at the equalizer, but the first attempt was blocked by Mascari and the second was saved by Wheaton Academy goalie Kristen Morency.

“We definitely got lucky on that one,” Mascari said. “I think the first one was a cross and it went in and I just got in the right spot and I cleared it, but then they put it in the second time and I happened to be there the second time also, and then the third we cleared. But I couldn’t have done it without the people behind me because I knew there was somebody behind me just in case I missed that one.”

Just 18 seconds after Manske’s goal made it 3-1, there was a scary collision between Lazzerini and Morency, who came out to the top of the box to try to stop the West Chicago forward on a partial breakaway. The two banged knees and Lazzerini’s shot was cleared over the left end line by the Warriors’ defense just before it went in.

Morency lay on the turf in pain for several minutes, but stayed in the game and limped her way to a gritty seven-save performance. She and Lazzerini, who also kept playing after a short break, sported matching ice packs on their knees afterward but said they were fine.

“That was a tough one, but thank God she is okay,” Mascari said. “We were praying for her when she went down, but she’s a tough one out there and she’ll keep going.”

Mascari wasn’t the only freshman to make an impact. West Chicago forward Kayla Kirkwood, who had scored her third goal of the season in the first half, burst into the box a minute later and fired a hard shot that beat Morency but hit the right post.

“She is a really big asset to the team, especially her aggressiveness,” Lazzerini said of Kirkwood. “Sometimes we struggle with her with hustling out there, but when she hustles she’s great. She’s going to be great as she goes on.”

Morency later made a diving save on another tough shot from Kirkwood, and also extended to stop a drive by Shelly Molskow as the Wildcats’ losing streak hit four games.

“I really thought we had this one this time,” said Lazzerini, who accepted a scholarship offer from Purdue-Fort Wayne on Tuesday. “I was really hoping to score on the one where I collided with the goalie but it didn’t get in and then there was one in the first half where I probably should have scored too, but I think this was a really good confidence boost for us.

“We played really well as a team and it’s been a rough couple weeks, so I think this really helps our team out. We played well from start to finish.”

Wheaton Academy broke the ice with 10 minutes gone when Ally Witt scored on a breakaway after a long pass from Crystal Thomas, but Lazzerini’s serve set up Kirkwood for the equalizer 11 minutes later.

Kirkwood raced in on Morency and beat the formidable keeper with a nifty cutback move to her left before taking a touch and tapping it in.

“We know [Kirkwood’s] potential,” West Chicago coach Cesar Gomez said. “We know what she’s going to do. We know how that’s going to look [her] sophomore and junior years.

“She has that ability to make a difference. The goal that she scored was a quality goal. Then the second one she had a beautiful shot and it hit the post and it came out. So we’re looking for that one little inch of something to make us believe that we can play.”

Gomez thought his squad outplayed the Warriors in the first half as well as the second, but the visitors went into the break up 2-1 thanks to the Notre Dame-bound Thomas, who tallied the game-winner on a penalty kick at the 13:57 mark.

Thomas had triggered the play with a 19-yard free kick that was punched out by West Chicago keeper Cat Canestrelli. As Thomas was going after the rebound, she was knocked down in the box. Gomez didn’t like the call and Thomas buried the penalty into the lower right corner even though Canestrelli (five saves) guessed right.

“It’s hard to celebrate a loss, but we played the game well and we need one of those lucky goals that they got there,” Gomez said. “Soccer is like that. Every now and then it’s going to humble you a little bit and we’ve been humbled now for a long time.

“We’ve only won four games, but every game that we play I keep coming back the next practice and I’m encouraged. I thought tonight would have been the [breakthrough]. The kids were pumped. I’m going to go home tonight and sleep very well because I enjoyed watching this.”

The Warriors, too, know all about being humbled, having been thumped 6-2 at home by Benet on Monday night. But they bounced back to crush Aurora Central Catholic 7-0 on Tuesday as Thomas scored three goals and Oleson had two.

Wheaton Academy will play for the fourth straight day Thursday when they travel to Huntley for a Pepsi Showdown consolation match. Despite being tired, the Warriors are not going to complain about the hectic schedule.

“It’s not easy but it’s so much fun,” Mascari said. “Great coach, great team.”