Boys soccer: Big three power Carmel

A triple threat provided a trio of second-half goals for Carmel Catholic's boys soccer and kept the Corsairs in the running for the East Suburban Catholic Conference championship.

Austin Ehren scored twice and assisted on another goal, while Michael Alemu and Rob Rao each netted a goal and an assist. The three players have 48 goals combined.

Carmel blanked St. Viator 4-0 in Mundelein on Wednesday night.

"These three guys up there, when then get together, they can score a lot of goals," Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "They work together so well. They each play a very different type of game. The three of them together are just a very good example of different strengths complementing each other. Rob is the most finesse player we have, Austin is the speed guy, and Mike is the size guy."

Carmel improved to 13-5-1 and 7-1 in the ESCC. The Corsairs have one league game remaining, as they host Marian Catholic on Saturday. St. Viator (7-8, 5-1) suffered its first league loss, but the Lions have matches left against Joliet Catholic, Marian Catholic and unbeaten Benet Academy.

"This was a good win for us," Krawzak said. "The boys played well and we were ready for a good team. We were pleased that our finishing came together like it did. We finally put it away."

Carmel got on the board early in the first half. Alemu found the back of the net off a Rao assist in the seventh minute.

"(The ball) went to the back post, hit me in the middle and I hit it straight on," Alemu said of his 14th goal. "It was a great ball from Rao to find me."

Carmel added its first of three second-half goals off a free kick from Rao. Alemu got a touch on it and Ehren finished it up at the back post in the 47th minute for a 2-0 advantage.

Ehren scored his 16th goal of the season in the 58th minute off an assist from Henry Barnes. Rao then notched his 18th goal off an assist from Ehren in the 68th minute.

Nathan Passerelli earned the shutout for the Corsairs making 9 stops.

St. Viator had its chances in the early moments of the second half.

"We were outplayed," St. Viator coach Mike Taylor said. "We'll step forward and see what happens. I thought we dominated the first 10 minutes of the second half. If we would have tied the game, then it would have been a different story."