Hubly does job for Grens
Billy Hubly's 74th-minute goal gave Elk Grove (1-4) its first victory of the boys soccer season by a 1-0 win against visiting Leyden on Thursday.
After more than an hour of mostly attacking play from both sides, sophomore Leif Lundgren would initiate the eventual game-winner when he launched a low free-kick drive, which created a scrum inside the Leyden 6-yard box.
With a perfectly angled shot, Hubly would find the back of the net just inside the near post to give his club the edge in its second of 5 tournament matches in the seventh annual Wayne Stach Memorial Tourney.
"I never really saw what happened after (the) ball left Leif's foot," admitted Hubly. "But when the ball popped out, I did what I am supposed to do."
The Grens' hard-fought victory came at the expense of a Leyden (2-4-3) side playing its seventh match in 10 days -- the last Tuesday when the Eagles fell in overtime to West Suburban Gold rival Downers Grove South.
"I thought we played well enough to win tonight," said Leyden first-year coach Mark Valintis. "But after having the better run of play in the first-half, you could see the guys beginning to become more fatigued as the second-half went on, and we just were not able to stay at a level to compete with Elk Grove in those final 10-12 minutes of the match."
The Eagles' counted heavily on the quartet of Rafal Zalewski, Eddie Adame, Danny Fuentes and David Wisniewski in the attacking end. While they played with plenty of pace and energy, they were unable to create quality scoring opportunities in the first 40 minutes.
Adame had a go at 44 minutes which caused Grens keeper Andy Larson to save. Ten minutes later Piotr Matel headed a terrific Adame serve to the spot that Larson turned over the bar.
"(Leyden) had a couple of real good chances, and Zalewski was especially dangerous whenever the ball was on his foot," said Grens coach Joe Bush. "We did well to defend their (chances), and, for us, to play relaxed, and as well as we did in possession really helped us tonight."
Larson's counterpart, Omar Tariz, saved the day for the Eagles' just before intermission when a ball sent back to the junior keeper lacked the required pace to make it all the way back into the box.
An ever alert Anthony Vasquez seized the moment and appeared to out-race Tariz to the wayward ball, but with a late burst of speed, Tariz was able to take the ball off the foot of Vasquez.
Hubly would make his presence felt in the middle of the pitch the entire second-half, as he distributed, won 50-50 balls and directed an ever-growing confident Grens attack.
"This was really the first game that we've had everyone together, and I thought we played pretty well tonight," said Hubly.
Robert Pechacek would give the Grens' and Lundgren its free-kick chance when the senior was fouled just outside the box on a nifty carry.
Next up for Elk Grove is a match at Fenton on Saturday, while Leyden meets Lake Park, also on the turf at Fenton as tournament action continues.