Lyons Township girls varsity soccer players come away with a 1-0 win after competing against Lincoln Way North on Saturday, April 2 despite the erratic weather. The possession went back and forth for most of the game with each team playing solid defense, but in the end LT found a way to score.

Five minutes into the second half, it began to snow and made it harder for the players to keep control of the ball. At the 21 minute mark in the second half, there was a throw in from the sidelines.  Grace Salvino ’16, a forward, was pushed which created a foul, and Jenna Fuller ’17 was the player chosen for the goal kick.  She lined up to kick it across the goal, and the strong wind that was present throughout the game blew it in, Fuller said.

“I was kind of surprised, because I didn’t expect it to go in,” Fuller said. “The wind kind of took it, and it was an unexpected goal.”

“[Fuller] is a dangerous player,” Lyons Township varsity head coach Bill Lanspeary said. “Not only is she good at scoring goals herself, but she creates chances for her teammates as well.”

There was one minute left in the final half of the game and the people in the crowd were on their feet cheering. The possession went back and forth and the Lyons players strategically kicked the ball out of bounds to run the clock.  Finally the buzzer sounded and the game ended with LT as the victor.

The conditions were unpredictable as the game progressed because it went from sunny and windy to almost white out conditions by the end. Throughout the game both teams played solid defense and were able to battle through the below freezing temperatures, Lanspeary said.

“Our team won balls and kept possession of it, they had some great combination plays, and kept a solid defense,” Lanspeary said.

LT was able to push the ball well and maintained a solid defense, Lincoln Way North varsity head coach, Mike Murphy said.

“We always put Lyons on the schedule because it is one of the top ten teams in the state and it helps us see where we are at,” Murphy said.

The team needs to work on playing more consistently, by doing the things they do well throughout the whole game, and not just in bits and pieces of it. They need to consistently connect on more of their passes, Lanspeary said.

The players worked well together and contributed when needed. In the future they hope to improve their team chemistry, keep better control of the ball, reduce panic kicking the ball, and just playing their game, Fuller said.