Manso, Clatch power VH

Carly Manso and Lauren Clatch each scored a pair of goals as Vernon Hills's girls soccer team skipped past host Lakes 4-0 on Wednesday afternoon in Lake Villa.

The Cougars' Manso not only scored 2 goals but assisted the other two and clearly making the difference against Lakes (10-4, 4-1).

"We just wanted to work it all together and I wanted to give it all I got out there," said Manso, who leads the team in scoring with 14 goals as a freshman. "I just wanted to go hard at the ball, because your not sure where it's going to go."

Despite the rain and slick field conditions, the Cougars (8-5-2, 4-0) snatched an important victory, leaving them a game away from clinching the North Suburban Prairie Division title Thursday at Antioch.

"This was a big win for us and we prepared for this," said Vernon Hills coach Vince DeLuca, whose team suffered a disappointing loss to Glenbrook South 4-1 on Monday. "We played better in that loss. We just didn't finish our chances. In this game, (against Lakes) we finished. I'm not surprised by our play at all. I know Lakes is a very good team. We just took it to them and controlled the game.

"We still have Antioch and Grant ahead of us. We're not looking at anything but taking one game at a time."

Lauren Clatch put Vernon Hills up 1-0 in the ninth minute. Manso assisted and Clatch scored into the upper-90.

Manso added 2 goals three minutes apart early in the second half. Manso scored at the 46-minute mark after taking a pass from Brigid Walsh and followed up with another after an assist from Jenny Manhard.

Lauren Clatch added an insurance goal in the 64th minute taking a drop pass from Manso and then lofted a ball from 40 yards out.

Cougars keeper Iris Ostrovsky earned the shutout, making 6 saves.

The Eagles had their 6-game winning streak snapped by the Cougars.

Lakes also played without its goalkeeper Sarah Fitzpatrick, who missed the game with a hand injury.

"We didn't lose because we didn't have our goalkeeper," said Lakes coach Kevin Kullby. "Vernon Hills had some nice shots. Collectively and individually, it wasn't what it needed to be against a good team. We've competed against other teams of this caliber and held up pretty well."

Lakes already is looking forward to a potential rematch with Vernon Hills in Class 2A sectional final play a few weeks down the road.