Boys soccer: Kaneland comes back, slips past Ottawa 4-3

OTTAWA – The Kaneland boys soccer team regrouped after a lackluster first half Wednesday to bounce back for a 4-3 Interstate 8 Conference victory over Ottawa on the King Field pitch.

The Knights (4-3-1, 1-0) found themselves down a pair of goals in the opening 17 minutes but battled back with a pair of goals from seniors Cameron Guernon and Matthew Mitchinson to open their conference slate with a win while dealing the Pirates (5-1, 1-1) their first loss.

“The first half we were just awful, but credit Ottawa because they came out ready to play and we did not,” Kaneland coach Scott Parillo said. “(Ottawa) was fired up ready to go while we looked like we had just gotten off the bus five minutes before the match started. I mean, I had to go over to the team and tell them to start warming up toward the end of the JV match, and I’m not sure when the last time is I’ve had to do that, and I shouldn’t have to do that.”

“You could just feel that we had all gotten ourselves mentally back to where we needed to be and we were on the attack. That said, I feel like we really dodged a bullet tonight.”

—  Cameron Guernon, Kaneland senior forward

Ottawa stormed out of the gate with a header goal by Jorge Lopez off a throw-in by Mason Jaegle in the 11th minute and a short strike tally from Michael Bedolla off an assist from Evan Snook in the 17th minute.

“I looked at my assistant when we got down 2-0, and because the most goals we’d scored so far this season was one, I was like ‘We are trouble,’ Parillo said. “I mean, we’ve played some pretty good teams, but we’ve also not finished, kind of like we did here tonight in the first half. But credit our guys for coming out in the second half with a better mindset and intensity.”

Kaneland cut the lead to 2-1 just before halftime on a penalty kick by Mitchinson and tied the match five minutes into the second half on a rebound goal by Guernon.

“There is not too much to say about our first half other than it was about as bad as we can play, I think,” Guernon said. “We collectively weren’t ready, and that’s on us as players. Ottawa has a very good team, but I think that because we have beaten them the past few years we overlooked them. We can’t have that happen against anyone anymore this season. This has to be the last time.

[ Photos: Kaneland vs. Ottawa soccer ]

“Yes, we played better and came out like we should have at the start in the second half. Getting the tying goal early in the second half I felt was a big key. You could just feel that we had all gotten ourselves mentally back to where we needed to be and we were on the attack. That said, I feel like we really dodged a bullet tonight.”

Ottawa retook the lead in the 63rd minute when Lopez scored on the weakside on a header off a corner kick from Alexio Fernandez, but Kaneland retied the match 41 seconds later when Guernon found the back of the net off a scramble.

Kaneland scored the game-winner in the 56th minute when Mitchinson tracked down a lead pass from Guernon in the center of the pitch and put his 20-yard strike into the low left corner of the cage.

The Knights held a 19-11 advantage in overall shots, including 13-9 on goal, and led 10-2 in corner kicks.

Kaneland keeper Cooper Van Wagoner made six saves, while Ottawa net minder Connor Diederich made nine stops.

“Last year they beat us 5-1 and 7-0,” Ottawa coach Kevin Olesen said. “But tonight, I feel like we showed with the intense back and forth match we had with Kaneland how far we’ve come as a program. Obviously, you want to win matches like this, but we did so many great things throughout the match and we’re right there. Our intensity was off the charts right from the start and I don’t feel it wavered too much even through a little adversity here and there.

“I’m absolutely certain that we’ll eventually get over the hump and win one of these matches against a very solid program like Kaneland. We just have to keep battling like we have so far this season. That kind of win is on the horizon for us.”

Ottawa is back in action Friday hosting IMSA, while Kaneland is off until Monday when it plays Rochelle.