Naperville North stops Neuqua Valley again
Last May it was Naperville North that stunned Neuqua Valley 1-0 in the Class 3A Waubonsie Valley sectional championship, ending the Wildcats' season while also handing them their only loss.
On Wednesday the Huskies continued the trend, beating the Wildcats 2-0 in the nightcap of the Four Schools One Cause Night of Soccer at North Central's Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
“This was by far our best game as far as putting the pieces together,” Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. “I thought it was a full team effort.”
Naperville North (4-0-0) has outscored its four opponents 10-0. Senior Allison Hitchcock recorded the shutout on Wednesday.
“Allison came up with some huge saves for us,” Goletz said. “She hasn't been tested a lot, and Neuqua did a great job of testing her and I thought she held up pretty well.”
Sophomore Abby Mangefrida shined in a defensive midfield role in the second half for the Huskies to aid in the shutout.
“She stepped up huge tonight for us and in games against teams that are this good you need them to step up,” Goletz said. “She was phenomenal for us.”
Freshman Abbie Boswell was pretty phenomenal herself as she connected with junior Cora Climo in the match's sixth minute to give the Huskies a 1-0 advantage. Climo caught up with Boswell's left-footed cross and sent it into the net just inside of the left post.
“It was really great getting that assist and being able to get it in quickly,” Boswell said. “It's big getting off to a nice start, and I've had a blast with the team so far.”
Neither team had many big offensive threats for the remainder of the first half.
Neuqua Valley (1-1-0) improved its chances in the second half as junior standout Zoey Goralski tried to rally the Wildcats, but nemesis Hunter Drendel also had some work to do.
Drendel, responsible for the lone goal in last year's sectional meeting, gave the Huskies insurance with 16:48 left, heading in a rebound shot that culminated after a couple other attempts were batted away after a corner kick.
“I guess I feel like I definitely have proven myself to help the team as an individual,” Drendel said. “No matter what, you've got to get something in. You've got to make your mark and as an individual making your mark, you're helping the team.”
The Wildcats, who were slowed in the possession game because junior Hope D'Addario did not play, seemingly found cohesion as the match evolved.
“We played a pretty good game, but I wish we would've had a few more offensive opportunities,” Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau said. “I thought the back line for the last 50 minutes played real solid.”