By Michael Belmont

Gargoyle sports editor


Posted Wednesday, May 2, 2007, The OG, girls soccer & sports

DANVILLE — The Danville Lady Vikings scored 3 goals in the first 15 minutes of action Tuesday on their way to a 6-0 senior day victory over Uni.

The loss drops the Illineks' overall record to 4-6-2, but doesn't affect their 2-0-1 East Central Illinois Conference tally.

Danville is now 6-7 overall.

The Lady Vikings' Melissa Adams and Brittany Ellis each scored 3 goals for the hosts, who led 4-0 at halftime.

The Illineks were able to give Danville goalkeeper Amanda Bodine some action, however — Bodine made four saves on the night.

Uni freshman Michelle Wong was able to play despite injuring her knee against Normal Calvary Baptist on Saturday. She took a penalty kick in the first half that flew just over the goal and was the closest Uni came to scoring all night.

“They were an aggressive, fast, and skilled team,” junior midfielder Sarah Pfander said of the Lady Vikings. “They knew how to use the narrow field and the long grass, and adapted their play to the field in a way we didn't. You could tell they had spent a lot of time working strategically, as well as on basic skills. They moved the ball well, used the whole field, and controlled the tempo of the game.”

Pfander felt that the Illineks improved throughout the course of the match.

“In a game like that, when the opponent is kind of ripping through you, it's hard to really assess how well you are playing,” she said. “Danville caught us standing and watching a lot. They were beating us down the field and winning the ball more. But, I felt like we were able to adjust, evidenced by the fact that 50 percent of their goals came in the first 15 minutes when we were still trying to figure out how to stop them.”

The only other team to defeat Uni by 6 goals this season was Charleston, which is now 13-0-4 and seeded No. 1 in its Class AA sectional. Danville is also a Class AA school, a member of the tough Big 12 Conference. Charleston defeated Danville earlier this year.

“In comparison with Charleston, who gave us our last big loss, Danville was pretty closely matched with them,” said Pfander. “Tentatively, I would say Charleston is better, but Danville took it to us in a way Charleston didn't. Maybe it was because it was Danville's senior day, but they came out strong and scored a lot early on. Charleston only had 1 goal in the first half; Danville had 4.”

The Illineks will travel to Warrensburg-Latham on Thursday for a 4:30 p.m. game. Three regular-season matches will remain after that.

The IHSA playoffs begin at the end of next week with Class A sectionals.

The Illineks will compete in the Williamsville sectional, where they are seeded eighth out of 10 teams, ahead of Monticello and ECIC foe Judah Christian.

The girls tied Monticello 2-2 on April 5 but have yet to play Judah. The Sages are now 2-6-3 after losing to Charleston 6-1 on Tuesday.

In the first round of playoff action, the Illineks will host Monticello on May 11 at 4:30 p.m.

If they win that game, they would visit top-seeded Williamsville on May 14.

“The major thing we need to work on is our intensity,” Pfander said. “We need to win 50-50 balls, come out strong, and get more physical. Looking ahead to the postseason, if we want to beat Monticello the second time around, we will need to be ready to go from the beginning, and not let them get early goals the way we let Danville.”

VARSITY RECORD: 4-6-2 overall, 2-0-1 East Central Illinois Conference

(Games at DCR Fields are in bold)

Season Preview: Illineks look for improvement as season begins today

March 28: St. Thomas More, L 2-1

— Illinek scoring recap: Michelle Wong (penalty kick, first half)

— story: Uni drops season opener

March 30: Centennial, L 3-0

— Illinek scoring recap: no goals

— story: History is repeated in 3-0 loss to Centennial

April 3: Urbana, game canceled because of wet field conditions (will not be rescheduled)

April 5: at Monticello, T 2-2

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (first half); Joy Shapley (second half)

— story: Illineks come back to tie Monticello

April 10: at Charleston, L 7-1

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (first half)

— story: Close game turns into lopsided loss to Charleston

April 12: Macon Meridian, W 1-0

— Illinek scoring recap: Sarah Pfander (second half)

— story: Pfander's goal lifts Uni over Meridian for first win

April 14: Normal Calvary Baptist, W 3-2 *

— Illinek scoring recap: Suran Yoo (2 goals, both first half); Sarah Pfander (first half)

— story: Illineks ignore rain, mud to win second straight

April 17: St. Thomas More, L 4-1

— Illinek scoring recap: Suran Yoo (second half)

— story: Illineks fall again to St. Thomas More

April 19: Decatur Christian, W 3-0 *

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (second half); Joy Shapley (second half); Chelsea Freeland (second half)

— story: Uni shuts out Decatur Christian

April 24: at Mahomet-Seymour, L 2-0

— Illinek scoring recap: no goals

— story: Illineks fall to Mahomet-Seymour 2-0

April 26: Mattoon, W 1-0

— Illinek scoring recap: Erika Belmont (first half)

— story: Uni downs Mattoon in lightning-shortened game

April 28: at Normal Calvary Baptist, T 1-1 *

— Illinek scoring recap: Joy Shapley (second half)

— story: Uni ties Calvary Baptist in road match

May 1: at Danville, L 6-0

— Illinek scoring recap: no goals

— story: see above

*East Central Illinois Conference opponent

Remaining games: see schedule