St. Edward shoots past Montini
When Montini scored early in the game, it seemed to wake St. Edward up. The Green Wave immediately went on the attack and kept up the pressure, eventually coming away with a 4-1 win in nonconference boys soccer action at Greg True Field in Elgin Tuesday.
Will Gaston scored 2 goals, and Joseph French and Alex Franklin scored one apiece as the Wave evened its record at 3-3.
The Wave looked somewhat lethargic in the opening minutes and Montini took advantage when Albert Holler pounced on a loose ball just outside the box and fired it in for a 1-0 Bronco lead.
That fired up the Wave, which controlled the ball for most of the half. After a few near misses by the Wave, Franklin found the back of the net, directing in a corner kick off his chest just past the midway point of the half.
Gaston put St. Edward ahead to stay just before halftime, taking a nice cross from Alec Uscila and heading it in from close range.
"They've got speed," said St. Edward coach Tim Brieger of Montini. "And so we talked about it. I said, 'Guys, last year that's how they beat us, they beat us on three breakaways and you've got to be ready for it.' We weren't and they scored, and I said, 'OK, can we now resume doing what we know how to do?' "
Montini came out aggressively again in the second half but couldn't get the evener. French and Gaston added insurance goals for the Wave in the late going, the latter on a great assist from Kevin Bardan. Bardan ran up the left side and fired a perfect pass to Gaston in perfect position on the right side.
"Our finishing was way off today," said Montini coach Barry Briggs. "We outshot them in the second half, yet we gave up two goals and didn't score."
Wave goalkeeper Matt Hesch made 4 saves in the net but was rarely challenged.