Girls soccer: Lake Zurich falls to Glenbrook North

Trying to stay composed in close matches has been something the Lake Zurich girls soccer team has been trying to figure out. The Bears are a bit on the young side with the team trying to work together match after match.

Haley Brousseau scored the only goal for Lake Zurich in a 2-1 loss to visiting Glenbrook North in the opening game of the Bears' invite on Friday afternoon.

The sophomore forward has realized what the team needs to do and what she can do to help the cause.

"I feel whenever we're tied or down a goal, it gets really frantic," said Brousseau, who has 2 goals and 2 assists this season. "We just need to slow down and communicate efficiently and just play like we're capable of doing it. We can play under pressure, but we need to focus. It's because, we're all so eager to get a goal for the win or tie. We just lose sight of the tactical skills. We need more composure."

Glenbrook North (3-3) opened the scoring in the seventh minute of play. Margy Porta scored off a pass from Janet Garside for a 1-0 lead.

Lake Zurich (2-2-1) tied the match in the 23rd minute when Brosseau slotted a ball inside the post off a feed from Ashleigh Stanovich.

"We had the ball out wide and played the ball to the middle," Brousseau said. "Ashleighhad a one touch and I was making a run around her. Then I was able to one touch it into the bottom left corner."

The Spartans scored the game-winning goal with a bounce off a Bears' defender that was sent into the box from Lily Denk in the 58th minute for the 2-1 advantage.

"If that's the way to win the game, then maybe it's the best way," Glenbrook North coach Tony Valsamis said. "Lake Zurich was a bit more physical than us and a little more athletic. So when we settled the ball down and possessed it, we did a lot better than to compete physically."

Lake Zurich was playing its first match since returning from spring break.

"We came out and our touch was off," Lake Zurich coach Mike Castronova said. "In the second half, they had their chances and we had our chances. They were the ones to finish and things didn't go our way. It's a long season and we're still trying to learn our way and figure things out. But we'll learn from it."

Prairie Ridge (6-0-1) won the other matchup 2-1 over Hersey (4-2-1) on Friday night.

Lake Zurich will match up with Prairie Ridge at 10:45 a.m. Saturday and take on Hersey at 2:45 p.m.