Hersey gets key win over Elk Grove
Defending Mid-Suburban East champion Hersey is off to a flying start after defeating rival Elk Grove 3-1 Wednesday night in a girls soccer divisional opener for both sides.
Inspired by a sensational strike from Megan Boyle at 57 minutes, the visiting Huskies (5-0-0, 1-0-0) added another goal four minutes later from Casey Weyhrich and never let up to take Round 1 of what figures to be an exciting race to the finish between East Division favories.
“We all knew how big it would be to win against Elk Grove, and to go on top right from the start of the season, but we also know it was just one game in a long season as well,” said Boyle, who along with her mates Eileen Zydek, Olivia Stastiuk, Stefanie Mueller and freshmen Megan Brant, did well to limit the Grens’ attack to just a few quality chances on keeper Erin Reiff.
“We all know a win and 3 points in the first week of the week isn’t the division for either one of us,” said Hersey coach Brad Abel, “but I am still thrilled with our result tonight, and with the way we didn’t allow too many chances against a team which has so many dangerous players.”
“We were in a real tight match up until Megan’s goal, but after that, I really felt things opened up, with us having a good part of the run of play.”
Elk Grove’s Michelle Calmeyn put the home side in front at nine minutes when she finished off a scrum initiated by senior teammate Nikki Zaino. The next quarter hour of play continued without much action — until Weyhrich ran onto a ball sent in from Maeva Waterman. The ball, unfortunately for the Grens (2-1-0, 0-1-0), went off defender Emily Wary and past keeper Melissa Solorio.
The Huskies, this year armed with a few more weapons in their attack to complement returning standouts Waterman and Nicole Pietro up top, showed a bit more pace and energy in their attack than in the past two seasons. Freshmen Lauren Gierman, Jennifer Corley and Weyhrich helped lead the attack and give all-area defender Katie Naughton and her backline mates Emily Wary, Sarah Stram and Lindsey Vaccarino plenty to think about.
“I told the girls on the bench after Boyle’s goal that we weren’t going to go into a defensive shell, but instead attack and keep up the pressure,” said Abel. “And we almost immediately saw the value of that when Casey helped put us up by 2 goals.”
Boyle got free of her opponent, and after two touches to gain some extra space, the junior unleashed a brilliant left-footed strike from 30 yards which nestled underneath the bar, over the outstretched gloves of Solorio.
“That was an amazing goal for sure, but aside from that, I told Megan that was the best match that she has ever played for us in her career,” said Abel.
The Huskies’ goal gave Elk Grove’s energy level a jolt, but an opportunistic Weyhrich followed a Gierman shot on frame, a finished off a ball which had caromed off Solorio for the visitors’ third goal and a 3-1 lead.
“We had a tough night in our own end, first when we gave up that first goal, and with that final one when nobody tracked back to defend and help clean up that rebound,” said Grens coach Dan Klaus, who used an extra attacker in hopes of cutting into the Huskies’ lead.
Calmeyn sent a nice ball to the post, but Mueller headed the ball out of the area. Then Reiff came off her line to snuff an opportunity for the Grens’ leading scorer at 70 minutes.
Naughton, whom Klaus pushed up to the midfield when he went to three forwards, hit the bar on a 25-yard free kick in the 77th minute, but that was the Grens’ last chance to get into the net.
“It’s a little disappointing to lose this match tonight, but Hersey deserved the victory, and hopefully this loss will provide the wake-up every team needs to help them get refocused,” Klaus said.