|
ILLINOIS WATER POLO |
|
|
|
Thursday - March 11, 2004 GAME RECAPS
STEVENSON HOLDS OFF NEW TRIER 10-8 By Paul Cirillo
Lincolnshire, IL -- In what might have been the best game so far this season, #4 Stevenson outlasted #8 New Trier 10-8 in Lincolnshire on Thursday night. Stevenson led from start to finish, but New Trier kept it close throughout and cut the Patriots lead to 8-7 with just 5:31 remaining. However, Stevenson shut the Trevians down the rest of the way and scored two more goals in the final minutes to improve to 2-0 on the season.
Stevenson scored just :06 into the game on a left-handed shot into the left corner by Alan Lagunov to go up 1-0. The Patriots scored three more goals in succession to take a 4-0 lead into the final minute of the quarter. Steve Michelau made it 2-0 on an assist from Mike Hall and Damon Smith batted in a pass from Lagunov to make it 3-0. Stevenson goalie George Renfrew stonewalled Dan Nyhan from in front of the net and then recovered in time to stop Nyhan's overhead shot as it sat on the goal line. Michelau scored on a direct shot from outside seven meters after a foul to give Stevenson a 4-0 advantage. New Trier finally got on the board as Tom Saleh scored on a two-meter shot on an assist from Nyhan and ended the quarter trailing 4-1.
Michelau put Stevenson up 5-1 in the second quarter as he came open in front of the goal with 4:01 left and slammed home his third goal of the game. New Trier responded in a big way moments later, as Sam Wampler hit a 7-meter shot to cut the lead to 5-2. Gerrit Adams made the score 5-3 with 1:14 left in the half, scoring from the point during a 6-on-5 advantage. Adams then made a key steal that led to another New Trier goal from Mark Sweeney with :05 on the clock.
Stevenson regained the momentum in the second half, as Lagunov scored a powerplay goal two minutes into the third quarter. The Trevians missed two scoring opportunities in a row, with Matt Nowlin hitting the top crossbar with 4:44 left and then Sweeney hitting the left post during a powerplay. Stevenson capitalized on their next opportunity to score after New Trier's goalie turned the ball over in front of his own net. Michelau made the steal and scored his fourth goal of the game to give the Patriots a 7-4 lead. Stevenson's Steve Fabyan made it 8-4 with a rebound goal off a Lagunov miss with 2:13 left in the quarter.
New Trier fought back quickly, as Adams made a steal on Stevenson's next fast break opportunity, then assisted Charlie Hilbrant on a powerplay goal to make it 8-5 with 1:00 left in the third. Sam Wampler cut the Stevenson lead to 8-6 with a lob shot on another powerplay chance with 0:21 left in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter, New Trier scored on its' second opportunity when Saleh made a steal and assisted Sweeney on a quick shot from just outside of four meters. That cut Stevenson's lead to 8-7 with just 5:31 remaining. Adams made a steal for the Trevians on Stevenson's next possesion, but they failed to get a shot off on offense. Michelau then put Stevenson ahead by two when he turned his defender at two meters to score his fifth goal of the game with 5:00 remaining. Mike Terchin followed that effort with a right-handed shot from the point to give Stevenson a comfortable 10-7 lead with only 4:10 to go.
After a New Trier timeout, Adams made a steal and eventually scored with 2:13 remaining to cut the Patriots lead down to 10-8. In the closing minutes, New Trier had three chances to score, but Nowlin missed a lob shot and Stevenson goalie George Renfrew denied Adams on a backhand shot and made a steal from a wide-open Nyhan in front of the goal with :38 left to preserve the win.
Michelau had five goals, Lagunov added two scores, and Fabyan, Smith, and Terchin had one goal apiece for Stevenson. For the Trevians, Adams, Sweeney, and Wampler each had two goals, while Hilbrant and Saleh each added a goal.
Stevenson, which won its opener over McHenry, improved its' record to 2-0 and travels to the Fenwick Tournament for four games this weekend. Meanwhile, New Trier fell to 2-1 in the loss and returns to action next Monday at home against #9 Naperville Central.
|
|
AIM illpoloballer |
|
|
Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved |