Wildcats make it look good

One of the goals for West Chicago's girls soccer team this year is to play attractive soccer.

The longer you watched the Wildcats play Saturday, the more you realized just how achievable that goal might be.

West Chicago started slowly against resolute Rosary, fell behind and then turned on the style for a 3-1 nonconference road victory.

"It's a great feeling to know that we can work together as a team," West Chicago senior Jessica Jones said. "We've been working on that in practice. Passing, playing the way that you're facing -- everything that's simple, we've been working on doing it perfectly. It's great to finally come out with a win."

The hinge to the contest, ironically, was Rosary's goal, scored in the 22nd minute of the opening half. Katie O'Neil sent in a free kick that Deb Happ flicked into the net.

The Wildcats' response was nearly immediate. Less than two minutes after Happ scored, Jessica Jones was bundled over in the penalty area, and West Chicago earned a penalty kick. Ivana Boers put that kick into the net to level the match at 1-1.

"As a team, we just need a little boost of confidence," Jones said. "It's like we get a light under our feet that makes us get moving."

The match began to swing toward West Chicago at that point. One factor was fitness. While Saturday's match was the Wildcats' fourth of the young season, the match at Rosary's field was the Royals' season opener.

"I know they were tired the second half," Rosary coach Kevin Callaghan said. "I could see it coming, but there wasn't a whole lot I could do about it."

The Royals need the on-field playing time the poor weather has taken from them. Without a senior on the roster and with a number of players fitting into new roles, Rosary is a team that will remain in transition for the early portion of the campaign.

"I felt we held right with them throughout the first half," Callaghan said. "They learned from their mistakes."

Despite a growing confidence and better passing movement, West Chicago needed until the midpoint of the second half to take the lead. Mary Rojas dribbled into the left wing of the penalty area and sent a ball across to the middle.

Rosary's defenders were unable to successfully clear the ball, which came to Jones, who scored with 19:44 to play in the game.

"That again was inexperience and missed communication," Callaghan said.

The Wildcats sealed their second victory of the season with eight minutes to play when Jones broke forward and sent a pass to freshman Megan Radloff who scored.

"It felt good because I had been missing all the rest of them," Radloff said. "It felt good to get one."

Radloff had been very active throughout the match despite not scoring. In addition to her passing movement, the freshman had a number of chances to score that went begging.

"I was wondering," Radloff said. "I was missing really easy ones. But I finally got one."

St. Viator tournament: In the first of two games for Benet, the Redwings beat St. Viator 1-0 in a shootout. Liz Dudek, Amanda Berngard and Kelly Diedrich converted their shootout goals and keeper Rachel Resek made 6 saves.

Resek needed 1 save in her second shutout of the day, 4-0 over South Elgin. Joanna Janulis, Erin Rocci, Alli Diedrick and Berngard scored for the Redwings.

-- Darryl Mellema

Baseball

Lake Park 5-6, Glenbard East 4-5:ŒThe visiting Lancers (2-1) snared a pair of 1-run nonconference victories, tallying a run in the top of the eighth to win the opener. Mario Fearon scored the game-winner on a wild pitch, and Ryan Overton (1-0) pitched his fourth scoreless inning in the bottom of the eighth to earn the victory.

Vito LaPorta (1-0) was the winning pitcher in second game, thwarting a 2-run rally by the Rams (1-4) in the bottom of the seventh. Bob Ryan homered and Mike Trimarco doubled home Glenbard East's second run to narrow the gap in the final inning.

Benet 3, Batavia 0:ŒJohn Boyle (1-0) pitched 5 innings for the win and Bryan Roberts pitched 2 innings for the save and the shutout as the visiting Redwings (2-0) claimed the nonconference victory.

Roberts drove in a fourth-inning run with a single. Benet added a couple of fifth-inning insurance runs with two squeeze plays.

Driscoll 7, Maroa-Forsyth 3:ŒThe Highlanders improved to 5-1 as complete-game winning pitcher Corey Eisenmann struck out six and allowed 6 hits to move his record to 2-0.

Softball

Driscoll 9-10, CICS-Northtown 2-1:ŒJennifer Christopher homered, Maggie Writt went 3 for 3, and Nicole Gange (3-0) earned the victory with a 3-hitter for Driscoll (4-1) in the opener.

In Game 2, winning pitcher BreAunna Medinger tossed a 1-hitter of her own while Gina Savatski went 2 for 3 with a double, triple, 2 RBI and 3 runs.

It was Savatski's fourth multiple hit game of the season.

Downers South 12-16, Champaign Central 2-1:ŒThe Mustangs (2-1) rolled in the opener behind Jessi Bozek's 3-hitter and Katie Jelinek, who went 3 for 4 with a double, 2 RBI and 3 runs.

In Game 2, winner Katie Talbot fired a 2-hitter and struck out nine without walking anyone. Marissa Mersch was 3 for 4 with a double, RBI and 3 runs, while Julie Moore went 2 for 3 with 3 RBI.

Stanford Olympia 12-14, Fenton 0-1:ŒOlympia (5-0) sent out 28 hits in the sweep.

Mia Sansone went 2 for 3 in the first game for Fenton (1-4).