Opportunistic Stevenson heads off Lake Zurich

Another set piece goal? Stevenson’s girls soccer team is making a habit of them.

After a big bounce off the crossbar, the Patriots’ Nicole Glait scored her first varsity goal on a header for the game-winner as Stevenson shut out Lake Zurich 1-0 in a North Suburban Lake match Wednesday night in Lincolnshire. The game was moved back a day because of the inclement weather Tuesday.

The Patriots’ Morgan Meyer set up the goal with a free kick from 40 yards out in the 65th minute. The ball took a wicked bounce in the penalty area, caromed off the crossbar right to Glait.

“It went off my head,” Glait said. “It went up, originally, and came straight down. There were two other people there. I was able to get a head on it and nobody was in front of me.

“I was taught not to stop, and to go for it. There wasn’t that much space, but no one was really on me.”

Also becoming a habit for Stevenson is winning. The Patriots improved to 6-3-3 overall and 3-1-1 in the NSC Lake. Stevenson hosts Mundelein (7-2-2, 1-1-1) on Thursday for its last Lake Division game.

“I liked our energy, and we played defense all around the field,” Stevenson coach Mark Schartner said. “We didn’t give Lake Zurich any time or space. Our defense is tough and solid.”

Patriots keeper Cori Calcaterrra recorded her fourth shutout and made 7 stops, benefitting from the play of Meyer, Anne Geocaris, Carolyn Briggs and Rachel Blumenthal in front of her.

Lake Zurich (5-5-1, 2-1) dropped its third straight game, follwoing losses to Rockford Boylan and Loyola Academy last weekend at Barrington.

Bears keeper Eleanor Daleske made 5 saves with two of them on breakaway stops.

“Always a tough one to lose, but Stevenson is a well-coached team,” said Lake Zurich coach Michael Castronova, whose team has three remaining games in Lake Division play. “It was a tough loss, and road conference games are always tough. We’re in a grinding stretch right now.

“I thought the girls came out ready to play. We just came out on the wrong end.”

The Bears are trying to get their passing and possession back in order. Midfielder Meaghan Gelinas noticed the problem against the Patriots.

“We weren’t able to connect in this one,” Gelinas said. “We weren’t able to switch the ball, and it was an off day for us. We didn’t work well together. It seemed like there were two girls right on me all the time.”