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Girls soccer: Stevenson’s stingy defense shuts down Hersey

Stevenson began a very busy week in style with a 2-0 victory in Arlington Heights over host Hersey on a frigid Tuesday night at Roland Goins Stadium.

Junior Amira Chavez bagged the opener in the 58th minute before teammate Sydney An put the finishing touches for the Patriots four minutes from time to give the visitors their fifth straight shutout of the season.

"(Hersey) always gives us a tough game, and tonight it took us 10-15 minutes to figure out things. But after that I felt like we played a complete game of soccer on both sides of the ball," said Patriots coach Jay Bulev, whose team is now 4-0-1.

"We talked at the break about things we needed to do in the second half, and the girls did just about everything just the way we asked them to (do) to get a real nice win tonight."

"I thought we build our attack really well from the back tonight, plus finding and playing through our midfielders also," added Sammy An.

The Patriots senior will play in the fall at Occidental University just outside Los Angeles, where her field of study will be biology, with a career as either a surgical physicians assistant or a cardiovascular practitioner.

"One thing we are doing really well is training at 100% — which if you train that hard, you will play the game the same way," continued An.

The Patriots would have plenty of the play in the first half, but twice were saved by keeper Reese Woo.

The best of her two goal saving stops came in the 44th minute when a lovely early ball up the right side from Gretchen Chianelli allowed Lexi Miyares to unleash a wicked angled blast that forced Woo to turn around the back post.

Chavez' left-footed looping effort nestled nicely under the bar in the 58th minute to give the visitors the lead.

Emma Mendoza would provide a terrific assist to freshman Sydney An, whose clinical finish just inside the far post ensured victory for the visitors who open play at the Malnati's Deep Dish Classic Saturday against reigning state champion New Trier.

"We had our moments tonight, but not enough of them," said Hersey coach Mike Rusniak. "(We) knew the backline of Stevenson was very good, and they proved to be just that.

"They were the better team tonight, and for us, we have to remember this was just our fourth game of the season, and (hopefully) with the schedule we're facing this week, we'll have the chance to sort some things out, and get ourselves ready for play in the MSL."

The Huskies (1-2-1) will play five games in the next four days, with two of those games Saturday at the Bear Invite hosted by Lake Zurich.

  Stevenson’s Samantha An takes a shot on Hersey goalkeeper Sam Fetzer in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Hersey’s Asha Bontje controls the ball against Stevenson’s Cleo Sadler, and Amira Chavez, foreground, in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Hersey’s Stevenson’s in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson’s Abby Samson and Hersey’s Gretchen Chianelli, right, compete for a header in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson’s Morgan McKelvey chases the ball against Hersey’s Kiki Craft and Asha Bontje, left, in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson’s Anabelle Egeland falls as she chases the ball with Hersey’s Gracie Lisota in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
  Stevenson’s Amira Chavez and Hersey’s Kiki Craft, right, compete for the ball on the sidelines in a girls soccer game in Arlington Heights on Tuesday, April 8, 2025. John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
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