Changes are in store for Huskies following loss to Warriors

By Eddie Burns

Coach Brent Terada said he needs to shake up things shortly after his Huskies were trounced 3-0 by Waubonsie Valley on Monday night in Naperville.

North will have a much different look when it takes the field against Geneva on Thursday.

Part of the problem is that the Huskies are not supporting freshman sensation Zoe Swift at the forward position.

"We're not helping her at all," Terada said. "We're going to have to make a ton of adjustments. We're going to change the way we attack and the way we defend.

"We're going to make some major changes. This was a great game for us to have now because we have plenty of time to make some adjustments and changes formations-wise and we'll be better."

Co-captain and senior Rycke Guiney said the pretty much anything North (4-1-2) attempted to do against Waubonsie (4-0-1) backfired.

"Everything did not work tonight," she said. "Our offensive moves – you name it we couldn't do it, but our defense did help a lot. We did what we could."

Both teams' rosters feature a number of underclassmen. Terada said he has been happy with what he's seen from North's six freshmen, including Swift.

"I think that Zoe has done everything humanly possible," Terada said. "She challenges hard. She plays hard. She takes advantage of the few opportunities that she gets.

"We're going to have to change the way we attack because good coaches adjust and they are taking her away very easily."

The Huskies almost managed to get to halftime tied at 0-0 despite being outplayed, but Waubonsie's Vanessa DiBernardo made a nice play against North's soft defense and scored in the final minute of the first half to break the tie.

"When you play against teams like that with players who can change the game with 30-40 seconds remaining in the first half you have to play better," Terada said.

"(DiBernardo) has the capability to change the game like that and we sag off defensively instead of stepping and bringing extra help. It is plays like those that we can work on. I'd rather have this happen now than in the playoffs."

North had already fallen behind 2-0 before it registered its first shot in the 48th minute on Waubonsie's goalie Allison Fox.

Swift did provide North with its best scoring chance of the match.

In the 51st minute, Swift had flicked the ball with her head over Fox and the ball appeared to be on its way into the goal when Waubonsie defender Shannon Donelson raced back and kicked the ball off the Warriors' line – thus preventing the score.

Outside of that opportunity there were few very few scoring chances for the Huskies.

"Sure our pride took a bit of a hit because we got pounded on, but at the same time, we'll come back and be much better," Terada said.

"If we don't learn from this, then shame on us. We're going to have to make huge strides if we want to get out of the sectional."

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