Good news continues for Lake Zurich at Fremd's expense
The first week of the season has been a good one for Lake Zurich.
Mike Castronova's club ran its record to 2-1 following a 1-0 victory over Fremd on Thursday night in Palatine, using a 29th minute strike from Emily Udelhoven and a quality 80-minute effort that brought a smile to the face of the Bears' coach.
"Things went pretty well for us all week long, even with our defeat against New Trier, which easily will be one of the best we'll see all year," said Castronova, who lost all-state midfielder Meaghan Gelinas from the 2014 NSC championship club but returns other key figures from front-to-back, including senior Danielle Ufheil.
"I've been so impressed with how good the attitude around this team is," said Ufheil. "It's everyone doing what's good for the team first, which makes this team so united and together, so much more than any team I've ever been on."
Ufheil and senior Nicole Rasiarmos were tied for second in total points (22) behind Gelinas last spring as the Bears amassed a sparkling 18-3-1 overall record.
For the hosts Vikings (0-2-0) it was another tough outing after dropping its opener to state power St. Charles East 4-1 in a Tuesday opener.
"Our effort tonight didn't match the one from the other night against St. Charles, where we at least had more fight in our game and battled harder against a team which obviously is one of the best around this part of the state," said Fremd coach Steve Keller. "Don't get me wrong - (Lake Zurich) deserved their result, I just wish we would have worked harder and given more effort than we showed."
It was clear early on the Bears had more speed and pace than their hosts, and with Ufheil, Carolyn Radecki, Udelhoven and Rasiarmos leading the way, the visitors enjoyed the run of play from the opening whistle, leading up the eventual game-winner just before the half hour.
Rasiarmos put Ufheil through on the right side, and if not for the quick thinking Kelsey Stone, who came off her line the moment she sensed danger, Ufheil may have had the Vikings keeper all to herself in the 13th minute.
Erin Neeson ran onto a ball coming out of the back on the left side and fired a 25-yarder on frame. Stone easily made the save just after the Rasiarmos sequence before Vikings striker Katie Zara tricked her way into the box but steered her shot wide of LZ keeper Eleanor Daleske.
Daleske recorded 13 shutouts a year ago while enjoying 0.66 goals-against average.
The Vikings gifted Lake Zurich by playing a ball poorly in their own end; it was easily collected by Udelhoven, who finished the chance for the game's only goal.
The hosts showed more urgency in the second half, finding Zara more frequently while playing the ball through Jessica Kopec and Emily Rogers on the outside a bit more. But the Bears quickly tightened things up along the back while finding their front-runners to turn things in their favor for the final 20 minutes.
"We're playing a new formation, so we still have to sort some things out. But when we do, I believe we'll be just fine," said Castronova.
For Keller, spring break may be coming at the right time.
"We got through this week, and now we'll get a few days away from the game to clear our heads, but when we come back, it will back to work and the drawing board to fix a few things in time before conference play begins."