Saints thrilled with their 1st win over St. Charles N.

After losing a 13-12 overtime decision to St. Charles North a little more than a month ago, St. Charles East's girls water polo team was determined not to let a late lead slip away this time around.

Juliet Suess scored 5 goals and senior Torie Lynn added 3 more to help lift the Saints (5-5) to an 8-5 victory over cross-town rival St. Charles North Thursday evening at the Norris Recreation Center.

It marked the Saints' first-ever triumph over the North Stars (6-16).

"We were so close (on March 26) and it was so emotional for us to lose that game," said Suess. "To win this one is a really awesome thing for us to do."

Three consecutive goals from Suess enabled the Saints to grab 4-1 first-period lead - a lead they wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way.

"We really wanted to get out there and get it going and make sure they (the North Stars) knew that we were here for business," said Suess.

"It helped a little bit," Saints coach Maureen Sheahan said of her team's quick start. "But we've seen them come back before. In our first game, we were ahead by one point with four seconds to go in the last quarter. They tied the game and it went into overtime."

St. Charles North pulled within two on four separate occasions but the Saints answered every time.

Twenty-two seconds into the third period, North Stars junior Emily Dieter's goal made it 5-3. Just 10 seconds later, however, Lynn buried a shot to extend the Saints' lead to 6-3.

Lynn's third goal came 35 seconds after the North Stars' Megan Danielson had cut the deficit to 6-4 late in the third period.

St. Charles North battled to within two one more time on Kate Otten's second goal of the game with 5:07 left before Suess provided some breathing room on her fifth goal with 37 seconds remaining.

Junior goalie Erin Arnoff made several spectacular saves for the Saints.

"It's so exciting," said Lynn. "Only two or three of us have been on the team all four years so it's a huge deal."

After the Saints posted just one victory a year ago, Sheahan is most proud of her team's progress.

"It's so exciting to see them improve," said the coach. "They're happier. It makes them try harder and fight until the end."

Meanwhile, the North Stars failed in another attempt to record back-to-back wins after defeating Conant 10-3 Monday.

"We've had our ups and downs," said North Stars coach Kelly Perry. "We're trying to make it more consistent."