Round Lake figures it out again

Each game poses a different challenge for Round Lake’s boys soccer team.

The Panthers usually figure out how to win their games, but getting there hasn’t always been easy.

Jordi Rudio scored a couple of goals and assisted on another, and Mauricio Salgado and Edgar Rodriguez had the other two goas as Round Lake downed host Antioch 4-1 on Monday afternoon in a North Suburban Prairie Division match.

“We play to the level of each competitor,” Round Lake coach Hugo Tellez said. “We play to their level. But at halftime, we know that we’re better than that and come out and start scoring.

“We’re a team of two halves. It’s almost like trying to figure them out, and then we totally break them down.”

Round Lake (14-2-2, 4-1) has a game left in division play — the Panthers host North Chicago today.

The Prairie Division is still a three-team race, with Lakes (9-7-1, 4-0) and Grant (10-7 4-1) still in the picture. If Grant defeats host Lakes (today, 6:15 p.m.), Round Lake has a chance to advance into the North Suburban Conference championship game next Thursday.

Rubio scored the opening goal in the fourth minute off an Edgar Rodriguez cross.

Then, just 50 seconds into the second half, Rubio fed Mauricio Salgado for a 2-0 Panthers advantage.

Rubio notched his second goal in the 49th minute on a rebound off Antioch keeper Thomas Tritschler (13 saves), and Edgar Rodriguez had the other Round Lake goal from Junior Martinez in the 57th minute.

“For some reason, we couldn’t finish our shots,” said Rubio, who has 18 goals and 20 assists this season. “It got harder for us, and then we were able to get some goals to go in.”

Antioch (7-7-4, 1-3) got its goal from Erik VanTreeck off an assist from Jacob Jost in the 79th minute.