Girls Soccer: Metea Valley too much for South Elgin

Updated: April 17, 2012 9:38PM

South Elgin had the initial shot on goal and the better start to Tuesday’s UEC Valley Division contest, but then No. 2-ranked Metea Valley countered and coasted to a 6-0 triumph.

The host Storm was hoping to get back on the track that had produced five straight shutout victories and one of the most complete performances in a road win at Machesney Park Harlem only to have its success dissipate in a 3-0 road loss to Lake Park.

But on Tuesday a pair of Metea Valley goals in a five-minute span took the thunder out of South Elgin’s offensive return and instead launched the Mustangs to their 10th whitewash and a stellar 13-1 record.

It also gives Metea a second six-match win streak to equal its season start prior to a 1-0 setback against Waubonsie Valley that accounts for the Mustangs’ 3-1-0 Valley record. South Elgin dipped to 7-5 and 0-2 in league play.

“We always come out pretty quick, but today we needed to have held on to that momentum and we didn’t,” said South Elgin scoring leader Savanah Uveges. “We needed to do a better job of containing them more defensively.”

“Once they got those two goals, we stopped playing our game,” Storm coach Tiffany Disher said. “Once they scored, we started to retreat and then we began to play dump and run; that’s neither our style nor one that’s going to allow us to be successful.”

From the opposite perspective, Metea Valley’s outlook was overcoming a lethargic start and getting its attack in gear as Jenna Kentgen set up Kristin Tomaras with 24:16 and 19:39 left before halftime.

“We had a rough start but we know it’s always important to gain the lead and the momentum for the rest of the game,” said Tomaras.

The same duo clicked for the fifth goal as Tomaras upped her team-high goal tally to 17 with her hat trick. Kentgen, who had a five assists in the match, got her 14th strike when she parked a rebound off her initial attempt that was stopped by South Elgin keeper Lizette Lara.

It was a baptism under fire for the Storm sophomore goalie who was not only making her first varsity start on Tuesday, but had logged all of four minutes of playing time since being elevated from the JV unit. South Elgin regular Jourdan Valkner was sidelined by a wrist injury.

Alyssa Fox also had two goals for the Mustangs while defensively the shutout was shared by starter Megan Geldernick and junior back-up Kiley Dunning, who accounted for four of her side’s six saves.

“Whenever I enter the match I’m focused on making sure the opponent’s score stays the same,” Dunning said. “It’s important for our defense to keep the same level of play and intensity, so my approach is that we can’t take a step down regardless of the opponent or circumstances.”

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