Rolling Meadows jumps into MSL East lead

In the up-and-down world of Mid-Suburban League boys soccer, consider Rolling Meadows 'up' at the week's end.

The Mustangs (7-4-0, 5-2-0, 15 points) fired in 3 first-half goals, then fought off a 40-minute fight-back from visiting Buffalo Grove on Friday before closing out their guests 4-2 to jump 3 points clear of the Bison in the MSL East race.

"I told the guys afterward that all we did tonight was win a game, because we still have four games left in the regular season, and each will get tougher as we go," said Rolling Meadows coach Peter Mikulak.

Buffalo Grove (6-7-1, 4-3-0, 12), which was in peak form Tuesday in a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Schaumburg, did not resemble the same club which totally dominated the then-MSL leader to move itself even with the Mustangs. That Tuesday outcome made Friday night a key contest in the race for a trip to the MSL Cup in mid-October.

"We didn't look like the same team as the other night, but then you can't give up 3 goals the way we did in the first half either - it's a recipe for disaster," said BG coach Rick Carlson.

After a tentative, cautious start, Mike Kotlyar gave the Bison the lead at 10 minutes when he fired a swerving free kick into the back of the net to catch.

Rolling Meadows' Kou Glaser, who was at the center of things throughout the first half along with teammates Bret Gibson, Sal D'Acquisto, Jacob Koutas, David Zarate and Andy Rueger, brought the hosts' attack to life when drove his free kick around the wall and off of keeper Connor May, who could only watch as Koutas steered in the equalizer at 15 minutes.

Next, Zarate solved the Bison with a powerful back-post strike when he met D'Acquisto's well-aimed cross from the right side.

The Bison continued to struggle with the Mustangs' passing and movement but nearly got a tying goal. Only a late header off the line by senior Enrique Avellaneda pulled what seemed to be a sure goal out of the back of the net after a long throw from Hans Haller.

"That was a big moment for us, because the whole complexion of the game could have changed if (BG) got back even with us at that time," said Mikulak.

Some bad luck led to the Mustangs' third goal before intermission when AJ Aluquin's long serve from the right side went up and over May at 35 minutes.

The Aluquin goal might have done in plenty of other clubs - but not so with these Bison.

When play resumed after the break, Buffalo Grove took the initiative, and with three forwards up top and Kotlyar pushed up into the middle alongside Drew Brauner, the visitors' attack found another gear.

Mustangs keeper Marc Quezada made a superb point-blank stop on Brauner, but in doing so allowed a rebound to spill forward, and onto the foot of an opportunistic Collin Dekorsi, who slotted easily on his 63rd-minute goal.

The visitors pushed hard in its effort to draw even, but Avellaneda, Aluquin and Jose Cruz held firm until Koutas finished things off with his second goal in the 80th minute.

"We knew after both teams won on Thursday this would be an important match, and one that might really mean something later on," said Avellaneda. "It's great to get the 3 points to go up on everyone else in the division, but there's so much more ahead of us."

Barrington 1, Schaumburg 0: A first-half goal by Hans Pallan, assisted by Austin Grzebeniak, helped the visiting Broncos to an MSL victory.

Elk Grove 2, Hoffman Estates 1: The visiting Grenadiers got a pair of second-half goals - one from Edgar Soto, and the other an own-goal - to pick up an MSL victory.

Wheeling 2, Prospect 0: The Wildcats picked up another MSL triumph, this one on the road.