Girls Soccer: Yessica Reyes powers Joliet Central past rival Joliet West

Updated: May 3, 2012 9:48PM

Yes, it was Joliet Central vs. Joliet West. But it was not the same.

With the alleged hazing incident involving the West girls hanging like a dark cloud over Klootwyk Field, Central junior midfielder Yessica Reyes scored on a penalty kick with 33:54 remaining in the first half Thursday and junior goalie Maria Geurrero and the Steelmen defense made it stand up for a 1-0 SouthWest Suburban Blue victory over the Tigers.

West (4-15, 0-4) was without coach Jeff Lundeen and some players. The district is mum at this time. Assistant Vicki Georgiou coached the Tigers.

“Coach Lundeen is not here; Vicki Georgiou is coaching our team,” athletic director Steve Millsaps said, declining to confirm the reason for Lundeen’s absence.

“Not all our girls are here today,” Georgiou said, declining to name the missing or confirm the reason. “The girls here played hard. We had opportunities, we just didn’t finish.”

Central coach Eduardo Contreras said the difference between this and a normal Central-West battle was evident.

“It’s a nice win, but they weren’t at full strength,” said Contreras, who was without two players he instructed to attend their senior awards night. “This didn’t have the usual electricity. It was more subdued. You could sense it.”

Contreras said any time a penalty kick is awarded, Reyes, a holdover from the combined program of two years ago, will take it.

“I’ve made some and missed some,” said Reyes, who found the right side of the net. “I did a power placement.”

Central (8-12-1, 1-3) applied pressure in the first half after Reyes’ goal, but West goalkeeper Jolene Asbury met the challenge. Steelmen senior fullback Isabel Razo and Guerrero combined to turn away the Tigers often in the second half.

“Maria (Guerrero) has faced many more shots than any goalie in our league,” Contreras said. “She makes lots of saves, she just has to keep her head up.”

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