Glenbard South responds, tops Montini
It only took about three minutes of action for the Montini girls soccer team to produce its first goal of the season.
Unfortunately for the Lady Broncos, Glenbard South responded with 3 goals of its own in the first half, as well as an insurance goal in the second half, to record a 4-2 win in Monday's nonconference contest in Lombard.
“It was just a matter of being calm and playing with purpose,” Glenbard South coach Glen Eggert said. “The middle was key today. Whenever they relaxed into their play, good things happened.”
Montini (0-1) jumped ahead 1-0 on a goal from Val Sanchez after just 3:03 had ticked off the clock.
The Raiders pulled even at 1-all on a 30-yard free kick from junior Nicole Schutte in the 11th minute.
Glenbard South (1-0) really got its offense clicking in the final ten minutes of the opening half, testing Montini keeper Kiera Johnson several times and sending a couple past her to take a 3-1 lead at intermission.
Freshman Jenna Brambora scored for the first time in her high school career when she dribbled down the left side before burying a worm-burner into the back of the net in the 36th minute. Less than a minute later, junior Dani Pitaro showed why she's the boss of the Raiders offense, heading in a free kick from Michaela Miglio.
“That was a mess, with everyone coming in all at once,” Pitaro said. “The wind really took it so I was lucky. I just got a side of my head on it, the goalie got a touch on it. It was really just a wild scramble in front and I was lucky.”
Playing into the wind in the second half, the Raiders didn't have as many scoring chances, while the Lady Broncos were able to cut their deficit to 3-2 in the 56th minute.
Christina Perrino scored off a rebound. But the Lady Broncos didn't create many chances to score the equalizer. Arguably their best opportunity came in the 69th minute when Jessie Bejna was left open but her shot attempt was safely collected by Raiders keeper Dana Jourdan.
“They were putting the ball up in the wind and running after it in the first half but once we changed ends, they couldn't do that anymore,” Montini coach Barry Briggs said. “We were able to change our attack a bit in the second half and moving Jessie (Bejna) up gave us a lot up front.”
Pitaro and the Raiders put the game out of reach with 3:37 left. Receiving a pass and showing patience to wait for the right time to take her shot, Pitaro easily pushed one past Johnson and into the back of the net to make it 4-2.
“You always like to finish strong and we were struggling with the wind against us,” Pitaro said. “We were able to regroup there and get a couple passes in the front and then one into the net.”
It certainly didn't go unnoticed on the sideline.
“That was feet to feet to feet to feet,” Eggert said. “That's how we need to play. They need to let the ball work and do their work without the ball like they did there.”