Nelson nets winner for Lake Park

Lake Park got the only thing it needed before lightning ended Thursday's girls' soccer game in the 62nd minute against visiting Streamwood.

A single goal.

"When you take enough shots, you'll score eventually," said Lancers senior Julia Nelson, who netted the game's lone goal in the Upstate Eight Conference game in Roselle.

Lake Park (4-3, 1-0 in UEC play) held Streamwood without a shot on net before the game was called due to lightning, and the Lancers sent 8 shots on net and another 8 wide.

"We've just got to find a way to consistently put balls in back of the net," said Lancers coach John Gouriotis. "We've done a great job defensively all year, and the midfield has done a good job."

"We just need to establish a more physical presence, and we need to finish better."

Lancers defenders Blaise Murphy, Courtney Losito, Brittany Davies and Daniela DiGioia were solid in back all day for the Lancers, sending everything Streamwood threw at them right back into the Lake Park attack.

"Three out of four of them are captains, and they've been playing together for a long time," Nelson said. "We have a really strong defense."

Lancers senior Rachel McMahon -- a defensive player by trade -- also left her mark on the game throughout, only it was on the offensive end of the field.

McMahon will move up and down the field as situations dictate for Gouriotis this year, and on Thursday the Holy Cross-bound senior spent her fair share of time winning balls, distributing, and firing on net in the Lancers' attack.

"Rachel has been great for us. She's so good," Gouriotis said.

After 29 minutes of steady pressure against a Streamwood team that challenged hard all over the field, Lake Park got its goal when Nelson located the ball in a crowd near the goal mouth and scored from 8 yards out.

The Lancers have shown a willingness to send shots on net from long range, and they did so freely Thursday.

"There are just more opportunities to score from the outside, and when we find that window we have to take the shot," Gouriotis said. "We've talked about that a lot and we're doing a better job of it."

"I think we're working really hard offensively," Nelson said. "We're starting to work the ball around better, connecting passes, and working better as a team. We just need to concentrate more on getting it in the back of the net."