|
ILLINOIS WATER POLO |
|
|
|
Monday - March 15, 2004 GAME RECAPS
Naperville Central Gets Big Win Over New Trier By Aaron Brown
Naperville, IL -- The best game of the night featured two top ten teams looking to prove that they are serious contenders for a drive towards the state tournament this season. #9 Naperville Central might have done more to help their cause, emerging victorious against #7 New Trier on Monday night by a score of 11-8.
Naperville Central (5-0-1) scored first as Derek Wilson recovered a loose ball and scored on a backhand into the left corner to put the Redhawks ahead 1-0. They scored again on a fastbreak after goalie Corey Stein made a save on New Trier's first powerplay, leading to a Mike Leclair goal on a drive from the left wing. New Trier cut the lead in half with 1:11 remaining in the first quarter when Alex Robb scored a powerplay goal from the left side to make it 2-1. Central responded with a powerplay goal from Wilson, who recovered a loose ball and scored with a sweep shot past goalie Bryant Leech to end the first quarter ahead 3-1.
Wilson picked up where he left off in the second quarter, scoring on a goal from two meters out to put the Redhawks up 4-1. Central would add two more goals, as Kevin Bell zipped a left-handed shot from seven meters into the left corner and Don Lambka scored from the left wing to make it 6-1 with 3:03 remaining in the half. The Trevians were finally able to respond with 1:51 on the clock when Matt Sweeney scored from the right wing on a pass from Gerrit Adams, who grabbed a rebound off the crossbar and got the assist to make it 6-2 at halftime.
Once again, Wilson scored the first goal of the third quarter, making a steal in the offensive end and scoring to make it 7-2. Kevin Bell fed Wilson on a powerplay goal to make it 8-2, and Lambka scored his second goal of the game with 3:26 to go in the third quarter to give the Redhawks a 9-2 advantage. Adams stopped the bleeding for the Trevians by scoring from eight meters out after a foul to make it 9-3. However, Lambka scored again on a powerplay just twenty-seven seconds later to give the Redhawks a 10-3 lead at the end of the quarter.
Just when it looked like it was over, New Trier roared back with a furious rally in the fourth quarter. Coming out of the break, Adams assisted Matt Nowlin on a powerplay with 6:26 left in the game, and had a second assist on a goal by Dan Nyhan thirty seconds later to make the score 10-5. Sweeney made a steal with 5:26 to go at halfcourt and assisted Nowlin on a 2-on-1 breakway to make the score 10-6.
The Trevians were unable to score in the next two minutes as the Redhawks continued to try and run out the clock. Adams made another steal and led Nowlin with a pass on a breakaway, and he was fouled from behind and drew a four-meter penalty shot. Nowlin's shot was blocked by Stein and the Redhawks came away with the rebound in the right corner. Adams pursued and made a quick steal, then fought with two players in a mad scramble near the goal, picked up the ball and slammed it home to make the score 10-7 with 1:42 remaining in the game. On Naperville's next possession, Adams came away with his fourth steal of the period and his third assist in that same span by finding an open Nowlin with a lob pass that he put in the right corner to make it 10-8 with 1:20 left in the game.
New Trier would have one more quality chance to score, earning a powerplay with just under one minute to play. Their shot from the right wing was denied and the Redhawks' Matt McNichols scored his first goal of the game as the clock wound down to give Naperville Central a 11-8 victory.
New Trier's next battle is at home against Highland Park (0-2), while Central plays host to Neuqua Valley (2-1-1) tomorrow night.
|
|
AIM illpoloballer |
|
|
Copyright 2004. All Rights Reserved |