Girls soccer: Barrington finds its scoring touch against short-handed Elk Grove

Although undefeated on the girls soccer season thus far, Barrington has found it difficult to find its way into the back of the net.

Except for their 9-goal uprising in its league opener against Wheeling, the Fillies have bagged just 3 goals in its four previous games in advance of Friday night, when Ryan Stengren's club played at Elk Grove.

The reigning Mid-Suburban League champion took a 1-0 advantage into halftime on a Piper Lucier before the visitors blew the game open from the second-half whistle with four goals in 12 minutes en route to a 5-0 triumph at Robert Haskell Field.

“We've done a lot of good things in our possession and with the ball this season, but we just have not been able to finish,” said Stengren, whose club is 3-0-2 on the season, 3-0-1 in league play.

“It has not been for lack of effort, but I feel like things are slowly coming together for a team that has so many first-time starters, (and) although we still have a long way to go, tonight we did a lot of good things out there.”

The host Grenadiers (2-5-0, 1-3-0), who were missing five players, still put up a valiant fight, particularly in the first half with the help of senior Caroline Hadler, and goalkeeper Idabelle Hoerbert, who kept three out of the back of her net.

“Our intensity in the first half was terrific (so) was our energy, and effort, but our lack of depth caught up to us in the second half when we had tired legs,” said Grens coach Gabby Whittinghill.

“I was real proud of the way we played tonight — our communication, especially along our back line was great, and so was Idabelle, who saved us a couple of times,” added Hadler, who will play in the fall at Lewis University, where she will pursue a degree in special education.

The Fillies enjoyed most of the play all throughout the evening with nearly 85% of the possession, and if not for the heroics of Hadler and center back Taylor Wirtz, the visitors might have added more than its goal from Lucier.

The Fillies created several half chances while also finding the post on three occasions, once each by Madeline Lewis, Whitney Stacey and Gabby Masterson.

“We played pretty good soccer in the first half, but we came out in the second half looking to score goals, and that's exactly what we did to take control of the game,” said Lewis, who will play in the fall at Northern Illinois University.

Stacey provided a marvelous assist to Aybree Sanchez, who bagged the first goal of the half at 44 minutes, followed by Gabby Masterson’s strike in the 50th minute off through passes from Sanchez and Lucier.

Lewis beat Hoerbert after being sent through at 55 minutes.

Maddie Martin-Johnson put the finishing touches on the Fillies victory 60 seconds after another Whitney Stacey assist.

Megan Holland and Dominque Klujian shared in the fourth shutout of the season for the visitors.

The Fillies will play Conant, then Prospect next week in advance of an important contest at Fremd next Saturday in Palatine.

“We had to move some players around, but I was proud of the 80 minute effort the girls gave tonight,” said Whttinghill of her club, which will play St. Ignatius College Prep at 11:30 a.m., today.