Glenbard West, Glenbard South finish in a draw

As predictors go, Spencer Pyle's goal 15 seconds into Saturday's nonconference boys soccer game between cross-town rivals Glenbard West and Glenbard South was a pretty good one.

Not only was that quick goal an indication there were more goals on the way, there were more for Pyle specifically. The Glenbard South senior notched his third hat trick of the season, and the teams finished with a 3-3 draw.

"It's usually pretty low (scoring) when we play South, usually 1-1 or something like that," Hilltoppers senior Seth Dilworth said. "It was fun to get a little bit more scoring action this game."

The Hilltoppers (3-1-3) didn't enjoy the first goal much.

Pyle opened the scoring in the first minute by jumping in front of a Glenbard West back pass and slotting the ball inside the far post.

"It was unexpected," Pyle said. "I just came out with a lot of energy. I was really excited when I got that touch. It was fortunate for me to put it in the back of the net."

"It's always a confidence-booster when you can score so quick," Raiders coach Adam Szyszko added. "We've been struggling with playing with a lead. I think we've had three or four games where we've had the lead and we either tied or lost just because we don't finish. We relax. We've got to learn how to play with the lead and continue to put pressure on the opponent."

The thing with giving up an early goal is you have the entire game to come back, and the Hilltoppers were far from done. Dilworth responded in the 16th minute to tie the game at 1.

"It was just a relief goal to the whole team," Dilworth said. "We needed that because we didn't come out as strong as we are. So that was just to calm us down, get us back in the game."

Glenbard West took a 2-1 lead in the 36th minute when Jeremiah Lanzillo put a 23-yard free kick over a three-man wall and tucked it inside the near post.

Pyle evened the game in the 45th minute, sent behind the Glenbard West defense by a Lance Evans pass and calmly slotting the ball in the back of the net.

"I just like to keep working hard in the games and I like to keep my head up," Pyle said. "I've been working on my shot ever since freshman year. I like to put myself in those situations in practice. I like to be able to finish those for my team."

Pyle's penalty kick in the 59th minute put the Raiders (4-2-2) ahead 3-2 with his 10th goal of the season.

"When they first got the lead we were kind of down, but after we realized how we were creating chances and we could get back in this game and we did," Pyle said. "Unfortunately we couldn't keep the lead, but it happens."

Again the Hilltoppers responded. Jesus Meza ran onto a Dilworth chip pass in the Glenbard South penalty area and deposited the ball in the net to end the scoring in the 64th minute.