Giuliano’s follow-up fuels Wheaton North

The hometown parents in the stands couldn’t tell which player scored, but they knew that Wheaton North had found the back of the net for the first time this spring.

Junior Linnae Giuliano recovered her own throw-in and her rebound shot trickled through a group of Falcons and Hilltoppers, including goalkeeper Anna Soane, in the 31st minute.

Wheaton North (1-1-0) made the goal stand up in Monday’s nonconference match against Glenbard West as the Falcons held on for a 1-0 victory in Wheaton.

“Normally I try to get it into the center because there’s so much chaos there and hopefully someone can get on it,” Giuliano said. “I run out just in case there’s a rebound like today, because you never know. Everyone is in the box and no one is on top so I was able to hit it in like I did this time.”

There is so little room for error in soccer, and the Hilltoppers’ inability to get the ball out of harm’s way cost them.

“Again today we gave up a goal on a long throw-in,” Glenbard West coach Maciek Kusmierz said. “We always have a problem with the physical part of the game against Wheaton North, and there we had some problem with communication.”

Glenbard West (0-1-0) struggled throughout the contest to do much on offense. Its closest chances to score came in the 11th minute when sophomore Alex Levin’s shot caromed off the right post and then in the final two minutes of the contest when Wheaton North goalkeeper Jessica Kiely nearly fumbled the ball to the Hilltoppers which would’ve provided a wide-open shot attempt.

“Luckily it held up because a 1-goal lead isn’t something we can rest on,” Giuliano said. “It would’ve been better to score two or three, because we had some chances.”

Wheaton North (1-1-0) especially controlled the game for the final 15 minutes of the first half but couldn’t add to its lead.

“Although we didn’t possess throughout the entire first half, I thought we were organizing and more comfortable than on Saturday,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said. “Fortunately that one goal went in because throughout the run of play we made more chances and I was kind of surprised we didn’t finish.”