:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/DUFVBLA4Q5DCLBRCGGR4NQMBGM.JPG)
DeKALB – The DeKalb boys soccer team won its second straight match to open the season, a 2-0 victory against Yorkville on Thursday in the DeKalb Barb Cup.
“I saw a lot of development from our guys,” DeKalb head coach PJ Hamilton said. “Our guys came out, played hard, put together a good match and gave ourselves an opportunity.”
The Foxes came out with the opening possession and controlled the pace for the opening portion of the half. Still, DeKalb senior mid-fielder Josiah Antimo opened the scoring, putting a rebounded shot into the back of the net from the center of the box.
“Josiah is dangerous up top,” Hamilton said. “He creates, finds good space. He’s a good one with the ball.”
Antimo’s goal made it 1-0 with 10 minutes remaining in the half, but the Foxes continued to press before the half. Yorkville freshman Wyatt Panczuk found a window to get a shot on net, sailing it above the crossbar.
The Foxes were able to put a handful of shots on goal, but were not able to draw level before the half.
Yorkville head coach Chris Palmisano said he was pleased with the team’s effort and felt they are trending in the right direction, but the lapse in fundamentals left a few goals out on the pitch.
“We had a couple lapses in the midfield relieving guys on marks, and it cost us a couple goals,” Palmisano said. “We had some opportunities as well and just didn’t finish.”
DeKalb opened up the second half on the attack. The Barbs pressed the attack into Yorkville territory with senior midfielder Landon Weishaar and junior midfielder Diego Rivas getting multiple balls to the net.
The Barbs scored their final goal about the 65th minute when Weishaar took a freekick from the corner putting it in the air for senior midfielder Aaron Tierney who found the back of the net making it 2-0.
With the sun setting on Northern Illinois and a commanding lead in hand, the Barbs rotated out Weishaar, Tierney and company one final time, giving the upperclassmen some rest.
“It was just a great team performance,” Weishaar said. “We played probably our best football, it was amazing.”
Weishaar said the victory was good, but controlling the game is going to be key moving forward for the Barbs.
“The one thing we need to improve on is controlling the game,” Weishaar said. “Not going forward every time and controlling the pace of the game, relaxing when we can.”
The Barbs moved to 2-0 on the season with the chance to extend that streak Saturday in the finale of the Barb Cup. The Foxes (1-1) play at 9 a.m. Saturday at the NIU recreation fields.