Girls soccer: Stout defense, quick offense help Lyons to 3-0 win over Geneva

GENEVA – It was a lonely night for the Lyons goalkeeping duo of Anna Bigenwald and Nora Ezike.

The Lions’ brick-wall defense held Geneva to two shots on goal and, with the help of their offense, led Lyons to a 3-0 victory against the Vikings on Tuesday night.

Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary felt his team stepped up to the challenge against Geneva. He thought the play from both his defense and midfielders helped in the win.

“Geneva is a tough team with a solid attack, so to limit them to two shots was fantastic,” he said. “Our defensive backs played well and communicated well, and our midfield did a nice job slowing down their transitions.”

Lyons took the lead with 18:05 remaining in the first half after Peyton Israel adjusted herself in the box to take a deflected center attempt from Caroline Mortonson and placed the ball in the upper left corner of the goal.

“Mortonson is always great at giving the ball perfectly to the outside forwards,” Israel said. “It was just a great team goal because we were working hard to get that.”

The Lions found the back of the net again with 9:07 left in the first half. After Vikings goalkeeper Jordan Forbes could not keep a shot from Estelle Giustini in her grasp, Leahla Frazier got the ball to her feet and slipped it past Forbes and a cluster of players from both teams to find the bottom left corner.

“It took a lot of players to get that one, but it was a good goal,” Lanspeary said.

Lyons didn’t find its third until there was 10:27 left in the match, when Zibby Michaelson sent a shot from 15 yards out into the right side of the net.

Geneva didn’t have a shot on goal until the 59th minute, when Evyn Schokora sent a ball from 25 yards out right into the hands of Bigenwald. Two minutes later, Lilly Coats took the Vikings’ other shot on a free kick that dribbled to Bigenwald.

Despite the loss, Geneva coach Megan Owens felt the team showed fight through the entire match against her alma mater.

“I think that the scoreboard doesn’t reflect how we played,” Owens said. “We had great work and really strong communication, so I take a lot of positives from the game.”

Owens said scheduling a tough opponent like the Lions early in the season is important to show where the team needs to improve.

“Tracking marks is the main thing we learned today,” she said. “It’s just the little things we’re working on improving, but it’s good to get exposed this early in the season.”

Lyons will have a chance to move to 4-0 on the season when it faces Glenbard West on the road at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Geneva will have a chance to get back in the win column when it faces Neuqua Valley on the road at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/2024/03/20/girls-soccer-stout-defense-quick-offense-helps-lyons-to-3-0-win-over-geneva/