Girls soccer: Elgin blanks Larkin
Elgin always gets a lift from beating its crosstown rival, but with girls soccer regionals starting next week, the Maroons' win Thursday gives them some extra momentum heading into the postseason.
Margaretha Troyke and Brittany Dazzo scored for the Maroons while Joana Mercado posted the shutout in goal as Elgin downed Larkin, 2-0, in an Upstate Eight River matchup at Memorial Field Tuesday night.
It was officially a Larkin home game.
"Larkin's always a great game," said Elgin coach Alicia Knoll. "It's good competition. They're a good team, we're a good team, so it's just fun to play a really strong game."
The Maroons' defense fueled the effort.
"The defense really did a good job of shutting them down, bringing that enthusiasm, making the smart play," Knoll said.
Elgin made a push early in the game, putting 4 shots on goal in the opening minutes. Larkin counterattacked midway through the half, but neither team could find the back of the net.
Troyke finally got the Maroons (10-7, 2-4) on the scoreboard in the 35th minute. Elgin's keeper stopped an initial attempt but bobbled the ball and Troyke found herself alone in front of an open net. She deked out a defender and put it in.
"Once I got it out of her hands after she bobbled it, I thought the defender was going to block it, but I just took my shot and it went in," said Troyka.
Dazzo provided some much-needed insurance in the second half. Her free kick from close range was placed perfectly, just over the outstretched hand of Larkin keeper Lluviana Carmona. It ticked off the crossbar and barely passed the goal line.
"Larkin's a really great team and they were still in the game at halftime," Dazzo said. "So we really needed to capitalize on that one shot and we were able to."
While Elgin arguably got a bit lucky on both goals, Larkin coach Ken Hall said the Maroons made their own breaks.
"They were more aggressive during the entire game, and when you're the aggressive team, you're going to get the breaks," said Hall. "And I think that's basically summing up the game tonight."