Warriors fall behind and stay there
Sometime the numbers just do not lie.
When Maine West scores first, the Warriors have gone 9-0-1. But when Maine West gives up the first goal, its record is 0-5-0.
Make that 0-6-0.
The home side fell behind 30 minutes into its soccer match with Glenbrook North (8-5-4) Tuesday night and never recovered in a 3-1 defeat between long-time CSL rivals.
The visiting Spartans appeared to be unnerved by a dreadful night of weather, which included a constant downpour from the opening whistle that slowed to an annoying drizzle only late in the match.
"With the conditions they way that they were, I thought we put in a very good effort tonight, particularly in our attack in which we took advantage of a couple of opportunities to build a 2-0 lead at the break," said Spartans coach Paul Vignocchi.
The Warriors (9-6-1) struggled from the onset and never found their pace until they trailed by 2 goals. It was early in the second half when coach Mike Divincenzo's team started to show the energy and confidence it exhibited in a recent 1-0 defeat of crosstown rival Maine South.
"We need to play smarter than we did tonight," said a disappointed Divincenzo. "We rushed at times when there was no need to do so, and, normally, our strength is in the defensive end, and tonight we gave away too many balls and chances deep in our own end."
One such mistake quickly allowed Glenbrook North to find the back of the net when a square ball in the middle of the park was collected by Andy Harter and played ahead to Sean Thomas, whose left-footed blast found a Warrior on the way through and was redirected just under the woodwork from 16 yards.
Six minutes later Jordan Silver thumped a header past keeper Nate Andersen after another loose ball went to the Spartans.
The Spartans went 3-for-3 in their counterattack at 42 minutes with Silver on the end to slot past Andersen.
"I've coached and known Mike long enough to know that at half he got into his guys heads and told them how much harder they had to play in the second-half," said Vignocchi. "Good thing we scored that third goal, because they really came at us."
Perhaps a cracker off the boot of Angel Herrera on frame helped break the Warriors out of its spell, as just a few minutes later David Puka slotted a Tryg Jensen rebound at 48 minutes.
With urgency and more direct play, the Warriors' attack picked up some steam as Jose Castillo, John Contreas, Alberto Sanchez, Carlos Trejo and Puka each treated the rain-soaked crowd to some lively exchanges when on the ball and in the Spartans' end.
The Warriors, in fact, had two great chances in the final five minutes to get closer and chase the equalizer, but superb stops by Glenbrook North keeper Alex King changed that thinking.
"We really let that first goal by (Glenbrook North) get to us, and we had trouble for most of the night keeping things tight in the back and not allowing them to get in on us," said Warriors junior sweeper Pat Pliszka.