Girls soccer: Clousing converts equalizer as Wheaton Warrenville South draws Lyons

Kelsey Clousing took a risk. It was well worth the reward.

With Wheaton Warrenville South trailing by a goal midway through the second half, Clousing forced a turnover and created a rare breakaway scoring opportunity.

In a one-on-one matchup with Lyons goalkeeper Anna Bigenwald, Clousing sprinted toward the goal and booted a well-placed shot into the corner of the net, tying the match for her team.

“I knew they were playing a high press on the back line, so I just took a chance and then I knocked the ball in front of the defender,” said Clousing, who had a team-high four shots on goal in the game. “I saw the goalie coming out and I knew that was our chance to tie it up.”

Clousing’s equalizer proved to be a game saver, as the Tigers played the Lions to a 1-1 draw after 80 minutes and finished in a tie. Both Lyons (2-0-1) and Wheaton Warrenville South (3-0-1) remained unbeaten to start the season. The Tigers possessed well, owning a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks and a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.

“We did well to get a lot of chances and shots on goal,” Clousing said. “Our defense was amazing in keeping a high line and keeping their offense from scoring. Lyons is really strong and they have a lot of good players. Our goal was to pass, move and hope for the best.”

Looking to knock off a Wheaton Warrenville South squad that won 19 games and was a Class 3A sectional champion last spring, Lyons took a 1-0 lead near the start of the first half. A miscue on defense led to a scoring chance for the Lions, who cashed in when sophomore Lauren Salvino finished an assist from Zibby Michaelson in the ninth minute.

“I love that play a lot because it was a switch from the field and I like when our forwards can play across the top,” Salvino said. “I was lucky to receive the ball in the middle and then I finished the ball in the box. I thought we were good moving in the middle. Long balls over the top were challenging with the wind and they were pressing pretty hard.”

Trailing and playing with the wind at their face, the Tigers put shots on goal throughout the first half. Clousing bent a shot toward the net in the 13th minute and Emma Gronlund blasted a long-range shot on goal in the 21st minute, but the Lions held strong defensively.

“I feel like we communicated well,” said Bigenwald, who finished with 10 saves in the game. “We knew where to put the ball, when someone was coming at us, when to turn and when to play back. We were able to clear the ball a lot when there was pressure, which was good.”

Bigenwald stopped five shots in the first half for the Lions, who saw Michaelson rip one on target and Wheaton Warrenville South’s Lauren Buchalski make a save in the 42nd minute. The sophomore goalkeeper posted five saves for the Tigers, who’ve allowed only three goals over four games this season. Three of those saves were in the second half.

“We had a lot of communication and we got the ball up the field quickly, which was helpful for our offense to get those shots off, Buchalski said. ”We talked well and that led to our success defensively. We tracked their runners nicely. We got into those passing lanes to cut off those passes and we handled them well."

Clousing’s equalizer in the 56th minute shifted momentum toward the Tigers, who came within inches of a potential game-winner during the 73rd minute. Capitalizing on a free kick after a yellow card, Wheaton Warrenville South crashed the box after the kick soared through the evening air and ricocheted off the crossbar and in front of the net.

Amid a skirmish for the ball and a maze of foot traffic, Bigenwald made multiple stops, including one just beyond the goal line, to keep the game tied at 1-1. It was the last scoring chance for either side.

“We had to clear it and we weren’t able to do that,” Bigenwald said. “I saw the other team had the ball, so I had to make the save and I was able to get the kick save. I looked up thinking maybe it went over the crossbar and I saw it in the air. I tried to get up and I realized that I couldn’t, so I just kind of dove for the ball and saved it with my face.”