Gaul, Neuqua Valley hand Bartlett 1st loss

Bartlett's offense bombarded Neuqua Valley goalkeeper Alexa Gaul.

Gaul responded by not allowing the Hawks to score and then switched to the field, scored twice and had an assist as the Wildcats downed Bartlett 3-0 in Upstate Eight Conference girls soccer action at Streamwood's Millennium Field Thursday.

Gaul's score with 13:40 remaining in the first half, marked the first time the Hawks (8-1, 1-1) had trailed at any point this season.

"That's what we were looking for when we put (Gaul) up top," Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau said. "That's what she's capable of doing."

Gaul's initial goal did some damage to a Bartlett team which had controlled the tempo of the game for much of the first half. Her second goal with 10:52 left in the first half was a real killer.

Gaul first scored on a free kick nearly 20 yards out when she sailed a shot over Bartlett goalkeeper Erin Zaideman, although the senior admitted she was trying to pass on the play.

Bartlett never regained its early momentum after Gaul scored. She was able to rebound a shot which Eileen Doyle had initially blocked by Zaideman (7 saves). Gaul picked up the deflected shot and tapped it in to give the Wildcats (5-1, 2-0) a 2-0 advantage.

This came after Bartlett recorded 10 shots in the first half, but was never able to score.

"We need to work on finishing," Bartlett forward Luisa Desario said. "If we would have gotten (a goal) we would have been back in the game."

Gaul finished her first half, which included a pair of saves, by dishing out an assist on Shelbi Johnson's goal with 5:16 left in the first half. Gaul banked her shot off the top crossbar, which bounced directly in front of the goal box where a waiting Johnson was able to put away with the Hawks by extending the lead to 3-0.

"They kept coming at us," Gaul said. "In the first half, they had control. In the second half, we were playing more like ourselves. We had more control."

Bartlett came out with a scoring chance in the first 5 minutes, but Gaul came up with the save. The Hawks also had several shots sail about 3 feet over the goal box and were never able to take advantage of the free kick. Fran Abate also missed a penalty kick with 6:52 left in the first half. Neuqua Valley's Rachel Suther, who came in for Gaul, finished with 5 saves.

"We were getting quality shots," Bartlett coach Heather Thomas said. "We outshot them in the first half and had no goals. It's frustrating as a coach to sit and watch and it's more frustrating as a player."