Naperville Central blanks Plainfield N.
After getting blanked in its opener, Naperville Central entered Saturday's girls soccer game anxious to tally its first goal of the season.
Senior forward Kristen Hall saw to it that the anxiety didn't last long, however, scoring less than eight minutes into the game off a corner kick by Jessica Rubin was tipped to Hillary Scott, who then assisted on Hall's score. With the goose egg behind them, the Redhawks (1-1) added 2 more first-half goals on their way to a 4-0 defeat of Plainfield North in a nonconference game played at North Central College in Naperville.
"After we got that first goal out of the way it was easier to score from there," Hall said. "It was really nice today and different from our first game."
In Tuesday's opener, Naperville Central dropped a 1-0 contest at Oak Park-River Forest. A young Plainfield North squad was not able to control the Redhawks' offense, especially early in the game.
Just one minute after Hall's score, Morgan Alberts made it a 2-0 game when she placed a lob just out of the reach of Plainfield North goalkeeper Hayley Wegrzyn and just under the crossbar. Midway through the first half Wesley Durham scored off a centering pass from Sally Stocchero to make it a 3-0 lead for the hosts.
"It's a good experience for us," Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe said. "I told the girls at the half that it's good to start off against a team like this. This will probably be our toughest game of the year. And I think the second half of the first half we started to settle down and play better."
After 9 shots on goal in the first half, the Redhawks managed 4 in the second half, one of which resulted in a score by Stocchero to make the final 4-0. Plainfield North, competing in its first season with senior students, recorded one shot on goal for the goal, which allowed Hannah Oppenheimer to pick up the shutout for Naperville Central while making just one stop.
"When you score your first goal of the year so late (into the season), all of the girls are real relieved when you get it," said Redhawks coach Ed Watson, whose team is not accustomed to getting blanked very often. "We got the ball in many more dangerous places today. We didn't get the ball behind the defense much in the first game."
Hall expects the team to continue to develop this spring.
"I think we'll be solid this year," she said. "We're young, but we're going to grow together and I'm really looking forward to this season."