Women's First Team Beats Rockford Raptors 2-0

Andi Revesz
Jun 10
3 min read

Women's First Team players celebrate after their 2-0 victory over Rockford Raptors. Credit: Toejam Larson

The Women’s First Team defeated the Rockford Raptors 2-0 Saturday night. The two goals were sandwiched between a multitude of attempts and great saves by the goalkeepers.

Goals:

ECFC: Perritano 2’, Leigh 90+1’

Match play started with a caught shot by ECFC’s goalkeeper Lucy Clark and a freekick from Rockford.

A pass from Molly Pistorius across the field found Emily Olson who took a shot hitting the crossbar. On the way down, Angelina Perritano connected and shot it to the back left corner, giving the Rooks a 1-0 lead in the second minute.

In the sixth minute, Lauren Hall deflected a shot from Rockford and Clark made another save. Jackie Tamas was able to take a shot, but it was caught by Rockford’s goalkeeper.

A shot from Pistorius went above the net before Clark saved another attempt from Rockford on the left side of the net. A goal attempt from Pistorius to Jocelyn Leigh went too far in the 11th minute.

Three minutes after a free kick, Hall blocked a shot from Rockford’s Sydney Arendarczyk before taking another free kick a minute later. A cross pass met Leigh’s head for another attempt, but the ball went too high up and was caught by Rockford’s keeper.

Rockford’s Addison Schaffer shot to the middle of the net in the 22nd minute, which Clark caught and released, just for Rockford’s Brooke Parnello to take another attempt, this time sending the ball above the net.

Emily Olson shoots the ball forwards. Credit: Toejam Larson

Hall and Olson stopped two more passes from going to the net, while Olson's own shot attempt was caught by Rockford’s keeper.

In the 34th minute, a pass from Lucy Tang brought Rockford’s goalkeeper out of the box, putting the Rooks in an ample position to score, but a defender stepped into place and blocked an Edgewater shot.

Following a corner kick, Cameron Sengstock and Scout Murray each recorded a shot — both going wide. Another Rockford attempt went straight into the hands of Clark, ending the first half 1-0 in favor of the Rooks.

ECFC started the second half with two wide shots before Tang received a yellow card for a shirt pull. In the 56th minute, Rockford’s Alli Saviano shot from the third, causing Clark to dive right for another save.

Women's First Team head coach Emma Woodley and Jocelyn Leigh talk after the game. Credit: Toejam Larson

The remainder of the second half was a slow back-and-forth until Leigh got the ball off Clark’s inbound kick, and took it from midfield into the back of the net, securing a 2-0 victory for the Rooks in extra time. In the three games played this season, Leigh has scored in each of them. She said she feels grateful to have the team behind her, helping her to this achievement.

“I’m just having so much fun,” Leigh said. “All my teammates and everyone was so sweet and it just feels so good to see everyone else trying and being a part of a winning team like this.”

Head coach Emma Woodley echoed Leigh’s statements and said she’s become a key member of the Rooks.

“It’s so great to have somebody we can count on in key moments to take care of the game,” Woodley said.

Overall, Woodley is proud of the performance of the team, especially with the next game on the road.

“I feel good,” Woodley said. “Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve really come together to create our own team identity. Plan is to just continue scoring goals and winning games.”

The Women’s First Team heads on the road for their next match against DeKalb County United, kicking off on June 11 at 7 p.m.