Vernon Hills 3, Niles West 1

Lauren Clatch should have been studying earlier this week.

But Clatch, a team captain for the Vernon Hills girls soccer team, decided there was something more important on her mind.

Clatch had an idea to turn around the team that had an 0-5-4 record.

"Instead of doing my homework in study hall, I typed a letter to the team," Clatch said. "It was about encouragement and what we should be doing. I gave them out to the players before we started the (Niles West) tournament."

Clatch also provided leadership on the field, scoring twice as Vernon Hills defeated host Niles West 3-1 on Thursday afternoon in Skokie.

Vernon Hills (2-5-4, 2-0) has won two straight tournament games and will play Latin on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Niles West.

Another win will put them into the title game at 1 p.m. Saturday.

"At the beginning of the tournament we started unifying as a team," Clatch said. "We're just starting to come together."

Clatch opened the scoring in the 11th minute, taking a cross from Lexi Hernandez.

The Cougars' Kelly Nagle made it 2-0 four minutes later as Hernandez assisted again.

Niles West (6-4-1, 1-1) cut the lead to 2-1 in the 22nd minute when Danya Snowsky scored on a breakaway.

Clatch scored her second goal in the 78th minute on a breakaway as Laura Miller assisted.

Vernon Hills, which had just 9 goals in nine games, has scored 8 goals in two tournament contests.

"We're a young team and we missed so many goals," said Vernon Hills coach Vince DeLuca. "Second half, we kept missing goal after goal.

"We're learning how to play. This tournament is like a little turnaround to our season. So far, so good -- and we've got Latin on Saturday and another game."

Antioch 0 Regina 0: The Sequoits outshot Regina 18-3 but had to settle for a scoreless tie at Niles West as keeper Katie Budd made 9 saves. Antioch finishes pool play Saturday against Glenbard West at 10 a.m. If Antioch (6-1-2, 1-0-1) wins, the Sequoits will play for the title at 1 p.m..