Morton's Loza uses quick kick to stun DGS
Free kick goal restarts suspended game, holds up in 1-0 win
By Matt Le Cren
Coaches love to stress the importance of restarts. But Morton's Medelin Loza took it to a whole new level Monday night.
The junior midfielder knocked in a 24-yarder on the first play at the restart of a suspended game, and it held up to give the host Mustangs a 1-0 win over Downers Grove in the crucial West Suburban Conference Gold Division match.
The set-up came when Morton was awarded a 24-yard free kick when a thunderstorm halted play with 29:32 remaining in the match on April 22.
Two weeks later Loza rocked her restart, extended Morton's winning streak to nine games and gave her team sole possession of first place in the WSC Gold.
“It was kind of funny,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “We practiced kicks more to the left of where we agreed to spot the ball, but thankfully Medy hit a great ball.
“DGS kept the pressure on us for about 80% of the half, so we needed to just hold on. Their work rate is off the charts. We were thankful to get away with the 1-0 win.”
Morton (12-5-0, 4-0-0) now has an opportunity to make program history. The Mustangs won their first conference championship last season when they shared the title with Downers Grove South.
But if Morton can beat Addison Trail on Tuesday and Hinsdale South on Wednesday, it would capture its first outright league crown. The Mustangs also will be undisputed champs if Downers South (8-7-1, 4-1-0) loses to Leyden on Thursday. They can do no worse than share the title by splitting their two remaining league matches.
Downers Grove South won seven overall WSC titles before the conference split into two divisions for girls soccer in 1998. Since then, it has added 18 Gold championships, 17 of them outright.
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Medelin Loza, jr., MF, Morton
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
M: Loza (free kick), 51st minute
Click here to read previous game story: Morton, DGS can't finish what they started
Free kick goal restarts suspended game, holds up in 1-0 win
By Matt Le Cren
Coaches love to stress the importance of restarts. But Morton's Medelin Loza took it to a whole new level Monday night.
The junior midfielder knocked in a 24-yarder on the first play at the restart of a suspended game, and it held up to give the host Mustangs a 1-0 win over Downers Grove in the crucial West Suburban Conference Gold Division match.
The set-up came when Morton was awarded a 24-yard free kick when a thunderstorm halted play with 29:32 remaining in the match on April 22.
Two weeks later Loza rocked her restart, extended Morton's winning streak to nine games and gave her team sole possession of first place in the WSC Gold.
“It was kind of funny,” Morton coach Jim Bageanis said. “We practiced kicks more to the left of where we agreed to spot the ball, but thankfully Medy hit a great ball.
“DGS kept the pressure on us for about 80% of the half, so we needed to just hold on. Their work rate is off the charts. We were thankful to get away with the 1-0 win.”
Morton (12-5-0, 4-0-0) now has an opportunity to make program history. The Mustangs won their first conference championship last season when they shared the title with Downers Grove South.
But if Morton can beat Addison Trail on Tuesday and Hinsdale South on Wednesday, it would capture its first outright league crown. The Mustangs also will be undisputed champs if Downers South (8-7-1, 4-1-0) loses to Leyden on Thursday. They can do no worse than share the title by splitting their two remaining league matches.
Downers Grove South won seven overall WSC titles before the conference split into two divisions for girls soccer in 1998. Since then, it has added 18 Gold championships, 17 of them outright.
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Medelin Loza, jr., MF, Morton
Scoring summary
First half
No scoring
Second half
M: Loza (free kick), 51st minute
Click here to read previous game story: Morton, DGS can't finish what they started