Girls soccer: Stevenson, Warren tie in key NSC contest
Sydney An's equalizer just after the hour gave host Stevenson a 1-1 draw with Warren Tuesday night in Lincolnshire in an 80-minute thriller between the two unbeaten clubs in the NSC.
With both sides knowing a victory would help put them in control, it would be the home side that came out on its front foot during the first half hour, winning a high percentage of tackles, 50-50's, and first and second balls to keep their guests in their own end far more than they would have liked.
"We came out and did a lot of good things, but we were unable to take advantage of the pressure we were putting on them, before they found the opener," said the Patriots’ (8-3-3, 4-0-1) superb center-back, Anabelle Egeland.
It would be the Blue Devils’ two-time all-state forward Addison Stanciak who stunned the big crowd when she unloaded an unstoppable thunder-bolt from distance on the left side at 29 minutes for her 19th goal of the season.
"We struggled a lot in the first half. (It) was not our best effort, but Addison always finds a way for us, and her goal gave us a big lift, and one that we had hoped to hold onto for the rest of the night," said Warren coach Ryan McCabe, whose club is now 9-3-2 overall, and 4-0-1 in the NSC.
When the Blue Devils were unable to clear their area — Abby Samson and Morgan McKelvey were able to keep the ball inside the box — and the ball spilled free for the An to finish from in close.
Prior to getting back level, the Patriots would see Grace Harper take one off the line in what looked like a second Blue Devils goal.
The next 20 minutes would produce plenty of wide open action, with both sides having a glorious chance to get into the back of the net.
Samson went just wide on her free kick from the edge of the box in the 76th minute, and with just a few seconds remaining, Egeland saw her redirected header of a Samson corner saved on the line by keeper Emma Megerle.
"We played so much better in the second half, but in the end, we just were not able to get the result we had hoped for. But it wasn't for a lack of effort," said Stanciak.
Next up for Warren will be NSC rival Lake Zurich on Thursday, while the Patriots are away at Zion-Benton on that same night.