Boys soccer: Libertyville edges Zion-Benton
It's an all-out effort these days for a team to stay unbeaten in the North Suburban Conference boys soccer race. Libertyville (12-0-3) has completed the task by going 5-0-2 at this point.
But the Wildcats still have not won the NSC outright.
Libertyville got past stingy Zion-Benton 3-2 in a NSC matchup in Libertyville on Monday night
The Zee-Bees (12-4-2) took their first conference defeat and now sit at 4-1-1. Mundelein (8-3-4, 4-0-1) still has a shot at the title with two games on its schedule at Warren Tuesday night and at Zion-Benton on Thursday.
"We control what we control," Libertyville coach Kevin Thunholm said. "We did what we had to do here. We're trying to get healthy, score goals and clean up the mistakes in the back."
Getting past the competitive Zee-Bees took some work and the Wildcats needed a late goal to do it.
"We were excited about this one and we were kind of overlooking Round Lake (Saturday)," Thunholm said, "because we knew Zion-Benton was a good club. I love that team and I knew they were going to fight. I wouldn't want to meet them in any of the games in the playoffs. We made two big mistakes that they were good enough to score on. Every team plays us at a different level. We actually found the back of the net. It's been something we've been working on time and time again. It was a quality game."
Mikey Reilly scored a pair of goals for his 14th and 15th of the season, including the eventual game-winning goal in the 73rd minute. Reilly made it around a few defenders and fired a shot into the back of the net. He received a pass from Jacopo Franciosi.
"I think I had five guys around me," Reilly said. "I just weaved through, got clipped a couple of times and finally connected on a good shot over the keeper.'
Reilly was denied on a couple of point-blank shots in the 51st and 61st minute, which Zion-Benton keeper Roberto Colin (6 stops) made quality saves on.
Libertyville scored early in the third minute when Reilly scored his first goal off a cross pass from Luke Underwood.
The Wildcats raised the lead to 2-0 in the 36th minute. Patrick Graham sent a throw-in into the penalty area and Franciosi scored on a header.
The Zee-Bees cut the margin to 2-1 in the final minute of the first half with a mistake in the back by the Wildcats. Zach Paxton found the back of the net off a touch pass from Oscar Montejano.
Then Zion-Benton's keeper Colin got credit for the tying goal in the 58th minute with a 60-yard free kick that went off a Wildcats defender, off the crossbar and into the goal.
What I like is the boys' response to (the loss). They are upset," Zion-Benton coach Cliff Pontillo said. "It all depends on how you rebound tomorrow. We talk about if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. All I ask, every game, you give 100 percent. (Libertyville) is the best team by far, record-wise and rankings. You come out and you have nothing to be ashamed of with the way we played."