Girls Soccer: Unique Manns leads Lincoln-Way North past Tinley Park

Updated: March 24, 2012 7:20PM

Lincoln-Way North’s Unique Manns has been great at setting up her teammates this season, dishing out five assists Thursday in the Phoenix’s win over Bloom.

Saturday, it was time for her to find the net.

Manns scored twice in the second half to help visiting North break the game open on its way to a 5-0 win over Tinley Park.

The goals were the first of the season for the junior forward.

“Yeah, seriously, it’s about time I scored,” Manns said. “My first goal was big because once we got that one, we got on a roll.”

North (3-0-1) dominated the first half against Tinley Park (2-2), which was without five regulars because of injury. But despite getting nine shots on goal, the Phoenix led just 1-0 — on a Rita Craven goal — at the half.

“It was a bit frustrating because we weren’t finishing,” North coach Mike Murphy said. “We were doing what we were supposed to do, though. We were creating chances and getting our shots on goal — just right at the keeper.”

The floodgates opened after Manns scored off a pass across the box from Craven three minutes into the second half.

Jessica Bean then scored on a strong, long strike before Manns got her second goal, tapping it into an open net after a fine cross from Brenna Stremlau.

Marissa Jones capped the scoring.

The Phoenix had come up empty on its first six shots on goal before Craven took a short corner, drove along the endline and buried a shot just under the crossbar and inside the far post with 9:27 left in the first half.

“We had missed some easy shots and we really needed that,” Craven said. “That got our confidence going.”

Tinley Park, which started six sophomores and a freshman, got 12 saves from sophomore Alexis Boyer.

North’s Michelle Balcerzak made one save to record her third shutout.

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