Stahlke helps Waubonsie Valley Warriors start off right

Two-time defending girls soccer state champion Waubonsie Valley didn't have enough marquee scorers, so senior Ali Stahlke is throwing her hat into the ring.

"I was really excited about the season starting. I've been counting down the days," Stahlke said. "I want to come out and take more shots this year. I did that tonight, and it paid off."

Stahlke scored the season's first goal for the top-ranked girls soccer team in the country in Monday's 2-0 victory of Wheaton North in Wheaton.

Stahlke netted her ball in the first half, and Vanessa DiBernardo struck hers in the second. DiBernardo is third-year starting junior, and has yet to see her team suffer a single loss in her high school career.

"During warm-ups we had to get used to the (artificial surface), and know how the ball would go, and the wind," she said. "We moved the ball pretty well for the first game, and it was good to start off the season like that."

The Warriors (1-0) forced 6 saves from Wheaton North (1-2) goalkeeper Kate Wiegman, and kept the Falcons from finding room to launch a dangerous shot on net for 80 minutes.

"We've got a lot of new faces and we're getting to know each other," said Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly. "But I like the way we're playing together. It will just take some time."

Wiegman is a field player for McEvilly, substituting in net until Shannon Malahy returns from injury, and the sophomore played well. She tipped a shot over the crossbar in the first half, tipped a second off the crossbar in the second, and also charged off her line to stuff a breakaway shot by Green.

Stahlke's goal came 20 minutes into the contest, on a cross from the left side by Megan Green.

"There was no one between me and Megan, and it was a perfect ball from her," said Stahlke, whose shot from 7 yards out went in off the post. "I got scared for a second so I stayed there until I saw it cross the line."

It's easy to get lost in the shuffle on a team full of top-shelf players, but Stahlke has been a solid player at Waubonsie for four seasons. With Gatorade's national player of the year Bri Rodriguez sitting out the season's first game, Stahlke stepped up her game.

"Ali's a really good player and she has contributed a lot," DiBernardo said. "She's usually on the outside but we used her in the middle tonight, and I thought she played awesome."

Midway through the second half, McClellan slid a corner kick out top to DiBernardo, who settled and buried it from 22 yards out.

WW South 1, St. Francis 0: According to her coach, Wheaton Warrenville South's Lexi Peterson is wise beyond her years when it comes to soccer.

Two games into her high school career, the Tigers freshman is also scoring way beyond what you'd expect from a newcomer.

For the second straight game to start this season, Peterson notched the game's only goal, this time powering host Wheaton Warrenville South (2-0) to a 1-0 defeat of visiting St. Francis on Monday night. Peterson broke a scoreless tie midway through the second half and the hosts made sure it stood up by preventing the Spartans from recording a single shot on goal.

"For a freshman she's very composed," Tigers coach Guy Callipari said. "She's so composed for her age. You know she's not going to panic."

Prior to Peterson's goal, which was assisted by Liz Ciesielski at the 21:38 mark of the second half, the hosts could have been thinking panic after failing to get one past Spartans keeper Kim Gianos up to that point.

But Peterson, who controlled a centering pass, spun and rifled home the eventual game-winner, was confident her team's time would come.

"I guess we were getting a little bit (frustrated), but we knew we were going to get one," said the freshman, who now has 2 goals in 2 games. "I hope I can keep this up. It's been an exciting start for us."

For the Spartans, Gianos' 9 saves and some strong play by the defense kept the game tight, even if the offensive chances were not there for the visitors.

"Actually we were very pleased tonight," St. Francis coach Tim Dailey said. "The last two years they killed us. I give a lot of credit to our defense. They didn't have the obvious opportunities and the easy shorts they've had in the past on us."

Midfielders Lauren Livingston and Brigette Kragie and forward Heidi Ansiel helped the Tigers keep heavy pressure on the Spartan defense, but it took a nice play by Peterson set up by a throw-in to finally break the scoreless draw.

"We asked her to turn on it on that play," Callipari said of the game's lone goal. "It was either good coaching or good execution. We're very pleased with her performance."

The Wheaton Warrenville South defense wasn't too shabby either, as Kelsey Graham notched the shutout without having to make a save.

"No corner kicks. No shots. All in all that's a good day," Callipari said of his defense.

-Stan Goff