Girls Soccer: St. Francis scores 1-0 rivalry win at Wheaton Academy

WEST CHICAGO — Coaches can give great advice, but it takes a kid to listen, go out and execute on such suggestions.

Feeding off what St. Francis coaches Jim and Amy Winslow instructed during Tuesday night’s Metro Suburban Conference game at Wheaton Academy, Sophia Roszkowski turned one of the Spartans’ only chances into the lone goal in a 1-0 rivalry win.

“It was kind of a build up from the back, and everybody connected,” Roszkowski said. “Jim told us to start playing outside instead of through the middle, and Amy told me to cut in with my right and shoot with my right, and it worked.”

Eva DeSouza had narrowly connected with Haley Serna on the other side of the field for Wheaton Academy (6-5-1, 3-1) prior to the Spartans (5-4, 4-0) creating what proved to be the game-winning chance the other way.

“We didn’t have a lot of opportunities, so it was really hard to connect, but we got the one goal, which was exciting,” Roszkowski said. “The first 15 minutes was really difficult, but then the momentum picked up and everyone started playing a lot better.”

Roszkowski’s goal came with just 3:35 remaining before halftime. The Warriors managed a dangerous free kick chance from Rebecca Schulenburg before the break, but St. Francis goalkeeper Hannah Blaha was there to make the save.

Blaha would be busy in the second half, but would have company in back to help her earn the shutout.

“I zoned everything out, including the fans,” she said. “I just, like, focus in and follow the ball, and I direct my team. It’s kind of a flow almost. My brain shuts off and my body takes over, and I just react.”

DeSouza, Schulenburg, Fiona Davis and Annika Vandervelde were among the Warriors who kept pushing toward netting the equalizer, but found a crowd of white Spartans jerseys along with Blaha in the way.

“We had a really great game, but we’ve just got to be able to finish,” Warriors coach Maria Selvaggio said. “There were a few opportunities that were really, really dangerous that we just couldn’t put away.”

Blaha punched out a free kick chance from Schulenburg midway through the second half and dove to deny DeSouza with about 10 minutes remaining.

“The last 20 minutes it was just kind of kickball, and everything was just long, and we had to get it out,” Spartans senior defender Ada Suriano said. “Our goalie had some great saves. I think we all worked together to get them off their game a bit.

“We all kept each other in the game.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20230425/girls-soccer-roszkowskis-goal-gives-st-francis-1-0-win-over-wheaton-academy