Girls soccer: Lake Zurich uses Abad hat-trick to top Glenbrook South

Updated: April 10, 2012 10:39PM

With goalkeeper Kelsey Byers and center back Keeley Nolan as its stalwarts, the Glenbrook South girls soccer team has built its reputation as a stingy, defensive-minded club this season.

The Titans had only allowed five goals in nine games entering Tuesday night’s game with Lake Zurich, yet the Bears’ Vanesa Abad carved up Glenbrook South’s defense for a 5-2 victory.

Abad finished with a hat trick and assisted on a goal to sophomore Meaghan Gelinas, who scored two goals in the match.

“I’ve never been a part of an onslaught quite like that,” said Glenbrook South coach Seong Ha. “Our defense got a little taste of humble pie tonight. Not only did they counter attack, but they came with numbers and we paid the price.”

The first-round Pepsi Showdown match was tied, 1-1, in the first half, but Abad scored less than four minutes into the second half. Gelinas followed with a goal four minutes later and the Bears would never trail again.

“We definitely brought up the intensity,” said Abad, an Ohio State recruit. “At the beginning of the (game) we were definitely frazzled and not communicating well, but in the second half we stepped it up and started communicating and started playing as a team instead of individually.”

April Cronin and Carolyn Nash scored Glenbrook South’s goals.

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