Girls Soccer: Plainfield North blanks Metea Valley
By Patrick McGavin For Sun-Times Media May 4, 2012 11:36PM
Updated: June 7, 2012 8:21AM
Sara Stevens was almost sheepish about admitting it. Then the truth seeped out.
Plainfield North was ready to make a statement in its marquee game Friday against Metea Valley. “We kind of did,” she said, “because we knew they were ranked higher than us and they were a really good team.”
The sophomore forward scored two goals as the Tigers stunned the Mustangs by scoring three goals during a five-minute first-half barrage for an impressive 4-0 victory in Plainfield.
“We were kind of nervous about this game because we knew they were a really good team and had played well against some other really good teams,” Stevens said.
North started out the aggressor and never let up, scoring all its goals in the opening 22 minutes of the match.
“We got the outcome we wanted in the first 20 minutes,” Callie O’Donnell said.
The two teams are both part of the Class 3A Metea Valley Regional, part of the loaded Naperville North Sectional, and could face one another if the seeds hold out.
Plainfield North (16-3-1) registered 10 shots in the first half, putting Metea Valley goalkeeper Megan Geldernick on her heels. After Metea Valley (14-4) thwarted the Tigers’ opening foray, the Handwork sisters collaborated on a beautiful opening goal.
Heather Handwork drove the ball down the left sideline and made a perfect cross that Ashley Handwork directed past Geldernick in the 12th minute for a 1-0 Tigers advantage.
Stevens took charge from there. She scored on a penalty kick in the 17th minute. Later, O’Donnell set up a perfect breakaway on a through ball that Stevens used to blast through for a 3-0 lead.
O’Donnell closed the scoring by drilling a ball that arced over the outstretched arms of Geldernick and sailed under the crossbar for the final margin.
