Neuqua Valley defeats Conant
Neuqua Valley goes all the way to St. Louis each year looking for top-notch competition.
It also finds strong opponents in its own back yard.
The No. 1 team in Illinois opened the most difficult tournament in the state with a 2-1 victory Wednesday against previously unbeaten Conant at Naperville Central.
“I think it’s good for us because this is definitely one of the better teams we’ve played this season,” Neuqua Valley senior Noelle Leary said after the opening game of the Naperville Invitational. “It’s fun having an intense game.”
“I’ve always kind of wondered,” Conant coach Jason Franco said. “... We haven’t really played a lights-out team, and this is, and they played really tough with them. We were getting outplayed and we gave up a lot of chances, but we had chances and we had the lead.”
The Wildcats (13-0), who have already beaten six teams in the Daily Herald’s top 10 and two of Missouri’s best, found themselves trailing for only the second time all season when third-ranked Conant scored in the ninth minute. Kaitlin Chiero dribbled into the Neuqua Valley penalty area, where a defender tapped the ball away, right to Sammie Van de Linde, who one-timed it into the net.
“It’s always a stunner because then you realize, uhh, you’ve got to at least get two more to come back and win,” Leary said. “I think it shows a lot about this team that we were able to come out and do it.”
After being stunned early, Neuqua Valley gradually took control of the game, earning the bulk of possession and a 20-5 advantage on shots. Neuqua Valley freshman goalkeeper Courtney Keefer made just 1 save, but it was a clutch one, tipping the ball over the bar in the 60th minute on a shot that looked destined for the net.
The Conant lead stood for 24 minutes until Megan Oyster’s free kick from 27 yards out deflected off the Conant wall and into the net.
It was almost all Neuqua from then on.
“That’s a very good team we just played,” Neuqua Valley coach Joe Moreau said. “The second half I think we had some a lot of quality chances and I thought we had the better of the play in the second half. I thought the key to the game was our central midfielders. I thought Hope (D’Addario) played incredible.”
Neuqua Valley got the game-winning goal in the 65th minute from Leary, who knocked her 19-yard shot off the crossbar and down just inside the goal line.
“Normally I just rip it with my left foot, but I saw (a defender) blocking it, so I cut it in and took a chance with my right,” Leary said about her second goal of the season. “It dipped, and luckily it went in.”
“Right-footed, that’s unusual for her,” Moreau said. “She’s such a great kid and she’s very, very quiet, so it’s kind of nice to see a kid like that get a big, huge smile on her face. That was the most fun when she turned and had a huge smile on her face.”
Neuqua Valley continues Naperville Invitational group play against Andrew at 7 p.m. today at Naperville Central. Conant (9-1) resumes tourney play at noon Saturday, also against Andrew.