Wheaton North stuns Naperville North
Pelafas golden goal ends Huskies’ 13-game win streak
By Matt Le Cren
Naperville North was 12 minutes away from away from winning the DuPage Valley Conference championship Thursday night.
But Wheaton North had other ideas.
Central Michigan-bound star Lexi Pelafas set up the game-tying goal by freshman Kailee Sowers, then tallied the golden goal with 2:30 left in the second overtime to lift the host Falcons to a stunning 2-1 victory over the defending league champions at Rexilius Field in Wheaton.
By snapping Naperville North’s 13-game winning streak, the Falcons put themselves in the driver’s seat for the DVC title with one game remaining. Wheaton North (11-3-2, 3-0-1) can win its first league title since 2006 by beating last-place Lake Park on Tuesday.
The Huskies (13-2, 3-1) now have to beat Glenbard North and hope the Falcons stumble at home against the Lancers in order to retain their crown.
“It was so exciting,” Pelafas said. “We were down 1-0 but none of our heads went down, and when the overtime started we all gave 100 percent. We did it with every single person on the field. We all played together.”
After a scoreless first half, Naperville North opened the scoring on a beautiful header by Alexis Dandridge and for a while it appeared that would stand as the title-clinching tally for the Huskies, who controlled much of the play.
But the Falcons rallied by twice beating the Huskies with long balls over the top of the defense.
Pelafas got to the first ball and sent a pass to Sowers on the right wing. The rookie buried a shot from 20 yards out to tie the game. It was Sowers’ second career goal.
“She’s been in the midfield, but we moved her into the forward line so she could be a little more dangerous,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said of Sowers. “She has the speed to get behind defenses. She was very composed, especially considering the circumstances. It was an extraordinary finish.”
Pelafas agreed.
“The goal by Kailee was an amazing finish,” Pelafas said. “She’s a young player that’s really good already, and she is only going to get better.”
Few are better than Pelafas at scoring big goals even when the odds are seemingly stacked against the Falcons. The striker has 15 goals, including DVC game-winners against the Huskies, Naperville Central and Wheaton Warrenville South.
“She’s scored in 12 of our 16 games,” McEvilly said. “All of them have been big ones. We’ve played some tight games against some of the top teams in the state, and she has a knack for coming through.”
Pelafas came through with the assist on the equalizer but before scoring the winner the Falcons had a few anxious moments.
“Both teams had chances in the first overtime,” McEvilly said. “[Star striker Abbie] Boswell hit one off the crossbar, and we had some good chances on restarts.”
The game was less than three minutes away from ending in a tie when Pelafas ended it with another fantastic finish.
The Falcons got the ball in the midfield and tapped it back to freshman defender Jaden Trometer, who found Pelafas sneaking in behind the defense and led her perfectly with a ball into space.
“Lexi beat the goalie to the ball and chipped it over her into the upper right corner,” McEvilly said.
Thus did the Falcons win another taut thriller in a season full of them.
“Every time I get a scoring chance I want to score,” Pelafas said. “I want to score every game, and if I don’t get a goal or an assist I don’t feel like I’ve done my job.
“But all the goals I’ve scored, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates. It’s because of my teammates getting me the ball that I’ve been able to score.”
Indeed, McEvilly lauded his team for working hard to win just enough 50-50 balls.
“One of the telling stats tonight was head balls,” McEvilly said. “We won about 60 percent, and they won 40 percent. They controlled the action but to be able to beat Naperville North in the air meant we did a great job of fighting for every ball and making them earn everything.”
The other key for the Falcons was freshman goalie Zoe Welsh, who made 12 saves.
“She made some great ones,” McEvilly said. “She’s had an outstanding year. Her goals-against average is about 0.60.
“With Lexi scoring big goals and us giving up less than a goal a game, we’ve been in every game. Now we have to stay focused and beat Lake Park next week.”
The Falcons know better than to look past the Lancers, who upset Naperville Central on Thursday.
“We’re going to come out with our game faces on,” Pelafas said. “We’re not going to underestimate them. If we win that game it would really mean a lot to us. Like I’ve said before, we’ve never had this great of a soccer team in my four years here.”
Pelafas golden goal ends Huskies’ 13-game win streak
By Matt Le Cren
Naperville North was 12 minutes away from away from winning the DuPage Valley Conference championship Thursday night.
But Wheaton North had other ideas.
Central Michigan-bound star Lexi Pelafas set up the game-tying goal by freshman Kailee Sowers, then tallied the golden goal with 2:30 left in the second overtime to lift the host Falcons to a stunning 2-1 victory over the defending league champions at Rexilius Field in Wheaton.
By snapping Naperville North’s 13-game winning streak, the Falcons put themselves in the driver’s seat for the DVC title with one game remaining. Wheaton North (11-3-2, 3-0-1) can win its first league title since 2006 by beating last-place Lake Park on Tuesday.
The Huskies (13-2, 3-1) now have to beat Glenbard North and hope the Falcons stumble at home against the Lancers in order to retain their crown.
“It was so exciting,” Pelafas said. “We were down 1-0 but none of our heads went down, and when the overtime started we all gave 100 percent. We did it with every single person on the field. We all played together.”
After a scoreless first half, Naperville North opened the scoring on a beautiful header by Alexis Dandridge and for a while it appeared that would stand as the title-clinching tally for the Huskies, who controlled much of the play.
But the Falcons rallied by twice beating the Huskies with long balls over the top of the defense.
Pelafas got to the first ball and sent a pass to Sowers on the right wing. The rookie buried a shot from 20 yards out to tie the game. It was Sowers’ second career goal.
“She’s been in the midfield, but we moved her into the forward line so she could be a little more dangerous,” Wheaton North coach Tim McEvilly said of Sowers. “She has the speed to get behind defenses. She was very composed, especially considering the circumstances. It was an extraordinary finish.”
Pelafas agreed.
“The goal by Kailee was an amazing finish,” Pelafas said. “She’s a young player that’s really good already, and she is only going to get better.”
Few are better than Pelafas at scoring big goals even when the odds are seemingly stacked against the Falcons. The striker has 15 goals, including DVC game-winners against the Huskies, Naperville Central and Wheaton Warrenville South.
“She’s scored in 12 of our 16 games,” McEvilly said. “All of them have been big ones. We’ve played some tight games against some of the top teams in the state, and she has a knack for coming through.”
Pelafas came through with the assist on the equalizer but before scoring the winner the Falcons had a few anxious moments.
“Both teams had chances in the first overtime,” McEvilly said. “[Star striker Abbie] Boswell hit one off the crossbar, and we had some good chances on restarts.”
The game was less than three minutes away from ending in a tie when Pelafas ended it with another fantastic finish.
The Falcons got the ball in the midfield and tapped it back to freshman defender Jaden Trometer, who found Pelafas sneaking in behind the defense and led her perfectly with a ball into space.
“Lexi beat the goalie to the ball and chipped it over her into the upper right corner,” McEvilly said.
Thus did the Falcons win another taut thriller in a season full of them.
“Every time I get a scoring chance I want to score,” Pelafas said. “I want to score every game, and if I don’t get a goal or an assist I don’t feel like I’ve done my job.
“But all the goals I’ve scored, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates. It’s because of my teammates getting me the ball that I’ve been able to score.”
Indeed, McEvilly lauded his team for working hard to win just enough 50-50 balls.
“One of the telling stats tonight was head balls,” McEvilly said. “We won about 60 percent, and they won 40 percent. They controlled the action but to be able to beat Naperville North in the air meant we did a great job of fighting for every ball and making them earn everything.”
The other key for the Falcons was freshman goalie Zoe Welsh, who made 12 saves.
“She made some great ones,” McEvilly said. “She’s had an outstanding year. Her goals-against average is about 0.60.
“With Lexi scoring big goals and us giving up less than a goal a game, we’ve been in every game. Now we have to stay focused and beat Lake Park next week.”
The Falcons know better than to look past the Lancers, who upset Naperville Central on Thursday.
“We’re going to come out with our game faces on,” Pelafas said. “We’re not going to underestimate them. If we win that game it would really mean a lot to us. Like I’ve said before, we’ve never had this great of a soccer team in my four years here.”