Girls soccer: MacDonald's goal lifts Benet over Carmel
Reese MacDonald scored the lone goal Wednesday night at Baker Stadium to decide a heavyweight contest between two ESCC powerhouse soccer clubs that saw reigning league champion Benet Academy defeat host Carmel Catholic 1-0.
"It was a hard-fought game, and one that we expected, but I thought in the conditions we possessed well and had a lot of the play against a very good team," said MacDonald, who along with her back line mates Nora Hanson, Sadie Serbenz and Annastacia Thiel kept the dynamic duo of Anna Hartman and Emily Fix from finding the back of the net for the Corsairs.
"It was a tough way to lose, but our pace and energy were very good all night (and) we played hard until the very end," said Fix, whose return from club soccer gave an already talented Corsairs (4-1-0, 0-1-0) roster a big lift.
The home side had a ferocious wind at its back during the first half, but it was the Redwings (5-2-0, 2-0-0) who would enjoy plenty of the possession - and a handful of the better chances on frame.
The best opportunity came in the 17th minute when Rachel Burns went just wide with her 35-yard blast into the wind.
Burns' teammate, Mariana Pinto was a standout up top for her club with her ability to hold the ball, distribute and take on the Corsairs defense. She was just off the mark from 25 yards at the half-hour before some crafty combination work from Brinkley Douglas and Anna Casmere forced Corsairs keeper Lisette Astudillo into action on another attempt by Pinto.
"I thought we had a lot of the play in the first half. (Not) as much in the second half when both teams struggled to keep the ball and possess," said Thiel.
The Corsairs attack came alive 10 minutes into the second half when Jillian Miller and Fix helped send Anna Hartman (5 goals, 6 assists) through. But an offsides flag ended a potential goal-scoring opportunity for the sophomore.
A pair of well struck corners from Miller sailed through the Redwings box - untouched in the next 10 minutes. And later it was Miller once again who tested Redwings keeper Shannon Clark from 25 yards after the Hartman-Fix team facilitated the chance for the sophomore.
Douglas' inward swinging left-footed corner reached the back post where MacDonald was stationed, and the junior took full advantage when her precise finish nested into the far right corner in the 66th minute.
"After our slow start we're beginning to come together as a team in all parts of our game, and I know we're going to improve each time out," said MacDonald.
The Redwings are away this Saturday in another ESCC contest at Marian Catholic, while next up for the Corsairs is New Trier on Saturday morning in their Malnati's Deep Dish Classic opener in Northfield.