Girls soccer: Kaneland falls to Yorkville

A strong wind blowing toward the goal usually gives the offense an advantage in a soccer match.

That was the case Thursday for most of the contest between Northern Illinois Big XII Conference rivals Yorkville and Kaneland.

Each team's offense dominated the game during the half when the wind was at its back.

However, shots into the wind accounted for 2 of the match's 3 goals including Yorkville's winning score late in the second half that secured a 2-1 victory for the Foxes.

Yorkville (11-5, 3-3) took an early lead on a Peyton Willie's score 5 minutes into the game. The junior received a pass at midfield, raced down the center of the pitch and booted a 20-yarder into the left corner of the net.

"She's very fast and you've got to get a head start," said Kaneland's Taylor Zitkus, who was one of the Knights tasked with defending Willie. "You've got to stand her up and you've got be aggressive against her or she will beat you."

Kaneland (9-7-1, 2-4-1) tied the match 1-1 with 13 minutes left in the first half. Holly Collingbourne scored on a free kick into the wind from just outside the left corner of Yorkville's penalty box.

Just as in the first half, a majority of the action took place on the south end of the Kaneland field in the final 40 minutes, but it was now the Knights who were aided by the wind. The Kaneland offense started to click, taking 11 shots in the period but the Knights were unable to get the ball across the goal line.

"One bad break and we got a L instead of a W," said Kaneland coach Scott Parrillo. "With the wind at our back, we couldn't put the ball into the back of the net. We created chances to score, we couldn't and it hurt."

Yorkville keeper Sydney Hering made 6 of her 8 saves in the second half.

The Foxes made few incursions into Kaneland's territory in the last frame. It made the most of one trip with less than 15 minutes to play.

"We were tired in the second half and you could see it," said Yorkville coach Lauren Anderson. "When you are tired, you just have to play smart."

Willie had the ball near the back line left of the net and drew the Kaneland keeper and defenders toward her. The junior University of Illinois commit made a perfect cross to Juleah Richardson on the right side of the goal, who drilled the ball into the back of the net.

"Peyton's speed is very difficult to defend so we had a few opportunities with her taking the ball down the line," Anderson said. "She made an amazing cross and Juleah was there to finish."