WW South, Geneva fight to draw
On face value a 0-0 soccer tie would appear without highlights. That was far from the truth, however, when the Wheaton Warrenville South boys team hosted Geneva on Saturday afternoon.
The game would fill a DVD with highlights. It's just that not any of the highlights included a ball hitting the back of the net.
Vikings coach Ryan Estabrook said the Tigers gave his Vikings (3-4-4) a huge challenge.
"We've had a lot of those (ties). Of all the ties this year, this was the most even. Before, I thought we were the better team and were unlucky," Estabrook said.
It was the Vikings who had the most offensive momentum in the second half and led in shots on goal 7-3. And it was Geneva coming the closest of either team of breaking the deadlock with less than two minutes to play. Canan Ciesielski got the ball to Fernando Castellanos, whose shot goalkeeper Adam Mrzlak just got his outstretched hand out to deflect it away.
"He moved to my right and then switched and I had to stop to go to my left and dove to get my hand at it," Mrzlak, who finished with 7 saves, said. "You're just thinking to keep the ball out of the net with so little time and the game so close."
Earlier in the half, Mrzlak leaped up in the middle of traffic in front of his net to grab a 50-yard direct free kick by Matt Waldoch.
WW South coach Guy Callipari wanted to get his goalkeepers some playing time Saturday, and Mrzlak played the second half with Nathan Friedle starting the game and making 3 saves.
The Tigers (5-9) controlled things on offense in the first 40 minutes, leading the Vikings in shots on goal, 6-3 and testing Geneva goalkeeper Jason Morales, who finished with 9 saves.
Just 1:08 into the contest, Mark Crisostomo let go a 25-yard shot that Morales had to dive for to get an outstretched hand out to deflect. Then with under 15 minutes until halftime, Adrian Guzman belted a 5-yard shot at an angle and Morales came out to block his way, grab the ball and prevent what would have been a sure goal.
WW South's best chance to score in the second half was a skillful cross from Anthony Berardi to Felipe Speraggi within 10 yards of the Geneva net. But the shot was high.
"We're headed in the right direction. We held tight at the end when Wheaton South had some chances," Estabrook said.
Callipari was pleased with what he saw offensively and defensively. He liked the number of scoring chances WW South generated and said that bodes well for the rest of the season.
"Process is what we focus on. The outcome will take care of itself. Eventually, they (the scoring chances) will pay off. They just didn't today," he said. "It was a clean sheet defensively from back to front. That was excellent."