Lake Park meets Willowbrook's challenge
A first-half goal from Kris Lopez and a second-half strike from Oliver Horgan kick-started No. 2 seed Lake Park's opening effort to reach the final stages of the Class 3A boys soccer state tournament with a 2-0 victory over Willowbrook on Tuesday night in a regional semifinal at Schaumburg.
Next up for Lancers coach Anthony Passi's team will be the host Saxons, who defeated Glenbard North later Tuesday.
"This first one is always a tough one, so we're obviously happy and relieved to get this one out of the way before turning attention to Friday's final," said Passi. "There's a lot of things we were not very sharp at tonight, but our one constant this entire season has been our defense and Michael (Jasiak) in goal, and we were very good in the back all night long."
The speed of Lopez and Horgan presented a threat for the Warriors (8-9-2) in the early exchanges. Lopez, a senior, first exposed the vulnerability of Willlowbrook in the seventh minute as coach Peter Ginter's group failed to clear the area. That allowed Lopez to bend a low strike through a crowd and into the back of the net.
"We didn't have a very good start tonight, and that along with our midfield having trouble keeping the ball kept us under pressure for most of the second half until we got back into the game in the second half," said Ginter. "Our strength this season has been our possession, and with the way we've been able to knock the ball around through the middle, but we didn't do much of that in that first half tonight."
Horgan, the Lancers' leading scoring this season, could have made it 2-0 within minutes of the Lopez goal after an Anthony Passi Jr. corner kick provided a chance. But Horgan, a senior, rattled the bar with his wicked smash.
The Passi corner was one of 10 the Lancers (17-1-4) created. That none of them led to goals led to some disappointment from the Lake Park coach afterward.
"To not put any of those 10 corners into the back of the net is not a good thing, and we've got to get sharper and cleaner in that area if we hope to continue in the tournament," he said.
Willowbrook's Saul Hernandez nearly got in on Jasiak just after intermission when he brought down a lovely ball out of the back from Gideon Karasek. But the Lancers keeper reacted quickly off his line and beat the speed sophomore to the ball.
A long free kick from just inside the mid-line by Kristian Johansen sailed right to the spot, where Jasiak hauled in the well-paced serve in the 59th minute. Just after that, Warriors keeper Asmir Perviz, saved a Horgan blast.
But finally, Horgan gained possession on the wing, then surged into the box and steered a shot into the corner.
"You cannot fault the effort and the heart of this team," said Ginter. "They gave it all they could for 80 minutes, but you've got to credit Lake Park. When we found our rhythm early in the second half, (Lake Park) responded very well in their own end, and really defended well, and tonight, they deserved this win.
"I am very proud of a this young team, and hopefully, next year we'll be back stronger, and ready to go much further."
The fierceness of the contest certainly left an impression on Lake Park.
"Willowbrook made us work tonight - there was a lot of fight in them," said coach Passi. "I hope the guys learned from this game tonight, because it's a new season, and you have to go out and prove yourself each time you step out here."