Sports
Waubonsie Girls Lose in Season Opener
The team has a solid record and hasn't experienced a loss in quite some time.
The Warriors have posted a 125-12-12 record since the start of the 2005 season and have won three state championships in the past four seasons.
But, with star midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo having taken her talents to the University of Illinois and three key returning starters injured or absent, the reigning state champion Warriors lost for just the sixth time in the past five seasons Thursday night, dropping a 1-0 decision to host Lyons in the season opener for both sides in Western Springs.
(0-1) had its 17-game unbeaten streak snapped despite outshooting the Lions 13-6 and controlling play both early and late.
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“It’s the first game,” Waubonsie Valley Coach Julie Bergstrom said. “You’re playing a team on their home field and we’ve got a lot of new faces. But I was pleased with what happened.
“There’s a lot of good stuff that happened. We just didn’t get a goal. They did.”
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The Warriors suffered a key blow two weeks ago when sophomore Rachele Armand tore an ACL in practice and was lost for the season. Another returning starter, junior Shannon Donelson, is sidelined with a knee injury and star sophomore Jenna Romano missed the game because she is playing in Europe with her regional ODP team.
Even so, Waubonsie played well. Freshman Kristen Dodson created some havoc in the first half, making a 35-yard run into the box in the 14th minute before Lyons goalie Maggie Orlowski came out and deflected her shot over the end line.
Three minutes later, Dodson was dumped in the penalty area and awarded a penalty kick, but she was stopped by Orlowski, who dove to her right to make the save.
That energized the Lions, who avenged last year’s 1-0 supersectional loss to the Warriors. Kelsey Holbert scored the game’s only goal 1:51 after intermission, working a give-and-go with Mackie Furlong and scoring on a 15-yard shot that deflected off a Waubonsie defender before sneaking inside the right post.
Waubonsie gradually built up the pressure on the Lyons defense after that but couldn’t find the back of the net. Senior Megan Green missed three opportunities, putting a one-timer over the bar and getting stopped twice by Orlowski, who made eight saves in her first varsity start. The closest miss came with 14:50 remaining when Green’s 23-yard blast up the middle was tipped into and over the bar.
“We have a lot of freshmen that are starting,” Green said. “We came out on fire. We possessed the ball pretty well. They just capitalized on their one opportunity.”
Senior Hannah Klancic also had a couple scoring chances. She was open on the back post but headed a corner kick from Green too high and then Orlowski stopped her 33-yard free kick with 5:00 to go.
In the past, the Warriors would rely on DiBernardo to find a way to finish one or two of those chances. It will be much harder without her but the confidence remains.
“I don’t really think there’s like one person [who can do it],” Green said. “She’s a really hard player to replace, but we’ve been working on combinations and stuff and getting that chemistry up top.
“I’m excited for the challenge. The five seniors, we all have to step up and fill our leadership role.”