Girls soccer: Benet’s big second half too much for Carmel
Benet continues to stay in good form after smashing home four second half goals en route to a 6-1 victory Wednesday night over host Carmel Catholic at Baker Stadium in Mundelein.
Eleanor Mahan and Natalie Grover had a hand in four of the goals during the ESCC contest to help the Redwings improve to 4-0-0 in ESCC play, and 5-2-1 overall.
"We got off to a slow start this season, but lately we've been doing a lot of very good things, and tonight we really played well the rest of the way," said Mahan, who scored two on the night.
"(Carmel) was a very good opponent, but getting that early goal was just what we needed," added Grover.
After seven different players scored in the Redwings’ 7-0 victory on Monday over Plainfield East, Benet’s trio of Grover, Mahan and Johnna Caliendo would inflict the damage on the Corsairs.
"(Their) opener obviously was not the way we wanted to start. But that's a very good team we played, and now we'll just have to pull ourselves back together and regroup," said Corsairs coach Stephanie Kile.
The Corsairs (1-5-0, 1-1-0) won their league opener in resounding fashion over Marian Catholic, 6-0. However on this night, Caliendo would surprise the home side at three minutes.
The Corsairs would stay strong in its own end afterwards with Bella D'Amore, Josie Hartman, Jillian Miller and Mila Schachelmayer, but a second strike from Calienco just before the half hour doubled Benet’s advantage.
During a nine-minute spell after the break, the visitors registered a trio of quick-fire goals by Grover, Lily McKenna and Mahan before a long-range free kick missile from Miller ended the shutout hopes by the Redwings in the 68th minute.
Mahan would end the scoring on the night at 70 minutes after a wonderful helper from teammate Ellery Schulz.
"No. 20 (Ivana Vukas) really makes their attack go. She is really talented with and without the ball," said Kile.
Next up for the Corsairs is Plainfield Central on Saturday in its Body Armor Tournament opener at the Waukegan Sports Complex.
The Redwings will have a few days off before traveling to Lombard on Monday for a nonconference match against Montini.