Petermann has right stuff

"Great stuff."

That's exactly what Warren girls soccer coach Jeff Knouse expressed to Carmel coach John Halloran while shaking hands after Carmel Catholic outscored visiting Warren 4-3 in Mundelein on Tuesday night.

The nonconference match played on Carmel's artificial turf marked the season opener for both teams.

Sara Petermann's second goal of the game for Carmel was "great stuff."

She wound up on her back after tallying in the 51st minute to push the Corsairs' lead to 4-2.

It proved to be a big insurance goal.

"I saw the defender behind me and I shielded her off," said Petermann, a senior. "Then I saw the goalie come out strong and I played the ball her and put the ball to the weak side of the back post.

"I really didn't hit it as good as I wanted to. I saw it roll past a defender and go in. It was a big relief."

Warren's Natalia Jovanovic scored less than a minute later, knocking in a rebound off a Kelsey Armour free kick.

"The ball just bounced right to me," said Jovanovic, a sophomore. "I saw the ball bounce up and tried to get there as fast as I could."

Warren was the first team on the board, as Maddie Wilson scored from a Lindsey Goad cross in the seventh minute.

But Carmel woke up quickly, scoring three goals in a five-minute span.

Petermann converted her first goal off a Maddie Ogrinc cross in the 10th minute, tying the game at 1-1.

Four minutes later, Stephanie Swanson sent a 25-yard strike into the corner oft the net. Kassidy Brown made it 3-1 when she scored off a Petermann free kick a minute later.

"I'm happy with what our forwards did," Halloran said. "We created some dangerous chances. But we've got an experienced veteran defense and we should have never given up three goals.

"Warren is a good team and they put away the chances they had. An effort like tonight is not going to get it done for us."

Rebecca Chavers scored the Blue Devils' other goal courtesy of a Jovanovic assist in the 28th minute.

"I was a little bit surprised to see us put the ball in the back of the net three times," Knouse said. "Girls decided to step up and play hard out there. It was our first time outside."