By Michael Belmont
Gargoyle sports editor
Posted Saturday, March 31, 2007, The OG, sports & girls soccer

URBANA — The girls varsity soccer team lost to Centennial on Friday 3-0, the same score by which the Chargers triumphed over Uni last year.

Despite the rain-dampened conditions, the host Illineks began the contest energetically, battling Centennial hard and penetrating into the Chargers' half of the field with a fair amount of consistency. But as the game progressed Uni wore down.

Centennial scored first on a Uni defensive miscue within 10 minutes of kickoff, then again about midway through the first half, ending the Illineks' strongest portion of the game.

The crosstown visitors scored for a final time shortly before the end of the half, leaving Uni somewhat deflated.

Though Centennial achieved an even greater advantage in ball possession and shots in the second half than in the first, the Chargers weren't able to convert any of their chances.

According to Uni senior goalkeeper Mandy Grill, Centennial put up more than 20 shots in the match, most of them coming in the second half. Uni managed three shots, all in the first half, but had a few opportunities stifled within 20 yards of goal.

The Illineks came closest to scoring on a second-half breakaway by junior forward Suran Yoo. But after eluding defenders for most of the distance to the goal, Yoo was cut off inside the 18-yard box before getting a chance to shoot.

Overall, head coach Phil Anders was encouraged by how his team played against the Class AA Chargers, especially in the second half.

“I think if we would have played this way in the last game [Wednesday's 2-1 loss to St. Thomas More], it would have been a different game — I think we would have come out on top,” Anders said. “We learned some things defensively. We learned something about not just the back defensive four, but midfielders coming back and covering.”

Junior Zoë Schein launches the ball downfield.
(Gargoyle photo by Michael Belmont) (click to enlarge)

Though Anders still plans to review the concepts of defensive marking with the team in practice next week, he was glad to see improvement in the girls' defensive organization later in the game.

“We learned about communicating. I think we did a much better job in the second half of that,” he said.

Grill thought that the atmosphere of the short day due to a faculty meeting was detrimental to the team's performance.

“The first game I felt like people had more fight and more fire. Especially with the half day and the weather, everyone didn't seem like they were as mentally prepared [to play],” she said. “We really just need to be able to come together and focus.”

On the other hand, Yoo perceived a noticeable increase in the team's level of play.

“I think we definitely improved [since the last game],” she said.

Offensively, Anders feels that a gradual attack through series of passes will work best for this squad, since it lacks players with tremendous breakaway speed. He plans to develop the team's ability to possess the ball and build up opportunities from the midfield.

“What this team needs to work on is the ability to move the ball up as a team together,” he said.

The girls will play next on Tuesday at DCR Fields against Class AA Urbana. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.

VARSITY RECORD: 0-2 overall
(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)
— story: Uni drops season opener

March 30: Centennial, L 3-0
— Illinek scoring recap: no goals
— story: see above

Remaining games: see schedule