Hersey strikes in second half against Huntley
Nicole Pietro had a hand in both goals for Hersey as the Huskies returned to their winning ways with a strong effort in a 2-0 victory over Huntley in Tuesday afternoon’s nonconference girls soccer match in Arlington Heights.
The Huskies (4-2-1) followed up their defeat to high-flying Schaumburg in OT last week with an impressive effort, particularly in the second half. That’s when Casey Weyhrich struck for the eventual game-winner, and senior Nicole Pietro also scored to finish off a young Red Raiders club which opened with 8 freshmen and sophomores in its starting lineup.
“This was a great early season match for us,” said Huntley coach Kris Grabner, whose senior-dominated club from last year, led by all-state striker Amy Wronski (now playing at ISU), lost in the sectionals to Barrington to finish with a superb 18-2-1 record overall to go with a Fox Valley Conference crown. “We’re so young, and we’re going to go through the usual growing pains associated with so much youth, but I saw a lot of good things out there today against a well-coached and hard-working team in (Hersey) that tells me that later on, we should be in good shape.”
Playing through talented midfielder Delaney Loprieno as often as they could find her, the Red Raiders enjoyed the run of play against the defending Mid-Suburban League champs.
With a strong wind at their back, Loprieno and her running mate Katie Costantino as well as freshman forward Deanna Hecht, had plenty of pace and energy to pressure the Huskies’ rebuilt backline, led this season by all-area senior Olivia Stastiuk.
“We’ve got a lot of experienced players back this year,” said Pietro. “But we’re also very young in spots. Our keeper (Morgan Harris) and two other freshmen in the back (Sara Magnuson and Kayla Knauss) are doing a really good job for us.”
The Huskies were able to absorb the pressure they faced, and although Huntley was busy orchestrating quality possessions, it was unable to get anything dangerous on frame until Hecht had a go from 25 yards.
A few minutes later, Huskies fans could thank the far post for keeping things goal-less at the half, after a nervous sequence of events inside the box. A short corner by Costantino gave Loprieno enough time and space to crack a wicked left-footer to the open side of the back post. It crashed off the post to just a few yards from the spot; Jessica Brock then steered over the bar.
“A few inches and that one is in, and if (their) No. 7 doesn’t track back to clear Deanna’s ball off the line in the second half, then maybe it’s a different result — but that’s how this game goes,” said Grabner.
Just minutes after intermission, Weyhrich put the Huskies in the lead after the architect of the goal, Pietro, did the work to create the opportunity.
“That first half belonged to Huntley, but scoring first really was big for us,” said Hersey coach Brad Abel. “After that, with the wind at our back, I thought we controlled the run of play for most of the way, right up to Nikki’s late goal.”
With Lauren and Nicole Gierman, as well as Megan Boyle and Pietro running the show in the middle of the park, the hosts grabbed the momentum after their goal.
The visitors nearly pulled back the Weyhrich goal near the hour mark when a well-played counter initiated by Beth Parks set Hecht free and in on Harris, who came way off her line to challenge. Hecht alertly released her shot from the left side towards the open net, and if not for Emily Moody, and her successful retrieving run to the Huskies open net, the Red Raiders would have equalized.
Pietro put an exclamation point on the afternoon at 77 minutes when she buried her right-footer past keeper Kelli Rubino, whom Grabner brought on for Jessica Galason just three minutes earlier.