Girls soccer: Late goal allows Boylan to tie Palatine
Senior Kailey Parnello rescued Rockford Boylan from defeat with her 78th minute strike to help the visiting Titans earn a 3-3 draw against host Palatine Saturday afternoon at Chic Anderson Stadium.
It was the season opener for both girls soccer clubs.
The Pirates came back after chasing two early goals to take the lead seven minutes from time when Kendall Kane found the back of the net, setting up Parnello's second of the match to end an entertaining 80 minutes.
"We always expect a hard-fought match with (Palatine coach) Willie (Fillian) and his girls, and today was no different in what I would call a fair result," said Marc Couper, the longtime Titans' head coach, whose club hit the ground running on a cool but sunny day when Parnello was set free down the right side before finishing her angled shot past a diving Francesca Falato, the Pirates' first-half keeper.
Five minutes later, the visitors doubled their advantage.
Fiona Fulling's nicely-played early ball allowed teammate Maggie Woods to get in behind the Pirates and allow the sophomore to beat Falato to the 50-50 ball.
"It was a little tough for us at the start, but I was really proud of the way we fought back to get ourselves back into the game, then have a chance to win (it) especially after giving up those two early goals," said junior Mackenzie Filian, now in her third year as a starter for her father, Willie, the Pirates' head coach.
"Yes, I agree that it was a fair result for both of us. We had some good chances, and so did they. But I was really happy with the way a lot of our younger, first-time varsity players did today, along with the few of us that are back this season so things can only get better from here on out."
It was no coincidence that the home side got itself back into the match when it began to find, and play through, Mackenzie and Kacie Filian in the middle of the park who in turn connected with sophomore Sarah Clancy, who was the target player up top for the Pirates.
Sarah Jasonwicz, who was brought on in the 20th minute, made her mark soon with a bending attempt from the near side that found the upper right corner over the outstretched gloves of keeper Moira McMahon, who could do nothing but watch the ball find the back of the net at 27 minutes.
Clancy delivered the equalizer at the half-hour mark.
She unloaded a right-footed cracker from 22 yards to cap a nice bit of soccer for the last 10 to 12 minutes.
"That was just Clancy being Clancy and you saw that when she's involved like she was for most of the day, out attack looks a whole lot better," offered Willie Filian.
The home side appeared fresher and filled with more energy after the Clancy strike and continued into the second period.
Kane nearly beat McMahon to a well-placed cross from Cora Jacobsen during the early exchanges of the new half.
Later, a Jacobsen corner, kept alive by Mackenzie Filian, was sent just over the bar by the sophomore Kacie Filian.
The Pirates' back line, which improved as the match went on, did well to keep the talented, and dangerous Parnello at bay in the final third.
It looked as if the Pirates has sealed a victory when Kacie Filian's long throw was kept alive by her sister MacKenzie and onto the foot of Kane.
Then, on the turn, Kane fired a low shot through the box and into the far inside netting.
"That was a great goal from Kendall, but we allowed (Boylan) to get out of their own end, and find No. 13 (Parnello) and all of sudden it's level," said Willie Filian.
"We did some very good things today here and there, but now we know what we're going to need to work on."
The Pirates host defending state champion New Trier next Saturday.
The Titans travel to Woodstock on Tuesday to meet Marian Catholic.
"No. 10 (Mackenzie Filian) was tenacious out there but that's the way Palatine will play," Couper said. "So this is a great early season test for us,"