Bartlett blanks Streamwood

Streamwood goalkeeper Brianna Roppo jumped, dove and punched Bartlett shots out of the net.

The long, uncontested shots were a different story.

Bartlett got 23 shots on goal and took a 3-0 Upstate Eight crossover matchup at Streamwood’s Millennium Field Thursday. Sophomore Nicki Noreen scored twice, but it was a 25-yard bomb from junior Ashley Johnson that got the Hawks on the board early.

Johnson drilled a wide-open shot right over the head of Roppo (20 saves) to put the Hawks (3-1-1) up 1-0 just 9 minutes, 48 seconds into play. The play came after the Hawks had a near goal just seconds earlier after breaking down the Sabres’ defense.

Bartlett got 8 shots on goal in the first 20 minutes of play.

“It’s hard to have someone work so hard and give up 3 goals outside of the 18 (yards out),” Streamwood coach Chelsea Lloyd said. “(Roppo) was caught off guard. The defense should have stepped out and been there.”

Noreen made it real tough to defend on both of her goals. Both times the sophomore dribbled up the field and blew past Streamwood (1-2) defenders for a one-on-one shot against Roppo.

The first goal came when she crossed the ball from right to left across the ground and into the net to put the Hawks up 2-0 with 26:59 left in the first half. Bartlett finished the first half with 13 shots on goal and Roppo had 11 saves.

“They did a good job of opening themselves and taking shots,” Hawks’ coach Heather Thomas said. “We’re trying to get them to take shots.”

Noreen extended the lead when she again dribbled up the field and put the ball in the net with 31:48 left in the second half. The Hawks managed 10 shots on goal in the second half with Roppo stopping 9 shots.

“We were mostly making runs,” Noreen said. “When we were making good runs, we were getting the ball. We need to work on placement and putting the ball in the net.”

Streamwood’s lone chance for a goal came when a shot went just wide to the left in the opening minutes of the second half. The Sabres were unable to build on the attempt and did not get another look at goal in the game.

Bartlett did have several more opportunities, but was unable to score.

“I knew Bartlett was a good team,” Roppo said. “They have good ball movement. They have a lot of players that can take shots.”