Girls soccer: Wheaton Academy ends rare losing streak, beats Rosary

Four-game losing streaks for Wheaton Academy are about as rare as April snowstorms, and yet the Warriors have endured both this month.

But Monday brought a change in fortune, both for the weather and the team.

Four players found the back of the net as Wheaton Academy snapped that four-game skid with a 4-0 nonconference victory over Rosary in West Chicago.

Sophomore Amy Anderson and senior Sophie Lindquist scored on shots from distance 16 seconds apart in the second half to turn a close game into a 3-0 lead.

"We had a rough week," Lindquist said. "I think last week was definitely just a big learning experience for us. After that we just wanted to make sure we did come out with a win."

The Warriors (6-5, 3-0 Metro Suburban Conference) were never threatened against Rosary, but the Royals (1-8, 0-3) managed to stay close for the first 55 minutes thanks to some tenacious defending.

Emma Goebel scored on a shot out of a crowd in front at the 29:35 mark of the first half to put the Warriors in front, but the hosts could not pad the lead.

It was a different story in the second half. When the offense broke down in or near the penalty area, the Warriors decided to try some long-range shots and the strategy paid off.

Anderson, a defender, launched a 35-yard shot that bounced twice and skipped into the net with 23:24 remaining. Lindquist, a Wheaton College recruit, quickly followed suit by ripping a 25-yarder inside the left post.

"I think once we did start trying to shoot more it kind of spurred on the whole team," Lindquist said. "It rallied us together."

Now the Warriors need to do that from the start.

"We've talked about that how as a team in the second half we've come out with even more energy," Wheaton Academy coach Jeff Brooke said. "So we're trying to get a full 80, obviously.

"The girls have done a great job in the second half in responding to some of the changes we make at halftime and tonight was the same. I thought (the Warriors) were aggressive in the second half in the final third."

Senior Kat Sezonov capped the scoring with 8:29 left on yet another long shot. Rosary coach James Heidorn was red-carded at that point and because he had no assistant coach present, the referees declared the game over.