Woodstock North overtakes Hampshire in 2nd half

Hampshire and Woodstock North battled each other and the conditions Monday night in Hampshire.

The Blue Thunder scored 3 times in the second half and held on for a 3-2 win in the Fox Valley matchup, but the weather may have been the big winner.

The game was shortened to 30-minute halves as the teams persevered through cold, steady rain, wind and a squishy field.

Taylor Prerost had 2 goals and an assist for Woodstock North, which scored 3 unanswered after intermission to take a 3-1 lead.

Mattea Huerta and Alessa Carranza scored for Hampshire.

Hampshire controlled the ball for most of the first half and Huerta's goal, a slow roller from about 30 yards out, put the Whips ahead with 7:28 to go before the break.

The second half was all Woodstock, with the ball barely crossing midfield until late in the game. Meanwhile, the Thunder struck 3 times in a 10-minute span.

"I think it's a mentality," said Hampshire coach Colin Brice. "We were up 1-0 and the girls were comfortable with that lead. Obviously, Woodstock North took it to us in the second half, and we just couldn't respond. The weather conditions just didn't play into our hands."

Prerost pulled North even in the 45th minute, burying a great cross from Mariana Vergara in the back of the net.

A few minutes later Riley Ward fired a shot from the corner off the crease. Hampshire keeper Christine Abihudi made the initial stop. Hampshire had a chance to clear, but Dulce Olivar-Lopez blocked the attempt. The ball went right to Prerost, who slammed it home.

Just minutes later, the roles were reversed. Prerost found Olivar-Lopez in stride and she knocked it in from point-blank range.

Hampshire got one back when Carranza scored on a rebound, but only 3.5 seconds remained at that point. Those were Hampshire's only 2 shots of the second half.