Women's First Team Stuns Crystal Lake Force 6-1

The Women's First Team were victorious in their first away game of their 2025 UWS season last Saturday, beating Crystal Lake Force at the MAC in Crystal Lake, IL 6-1.

GOALS:

Crystal Lake Force 3'

Hall 9' (A Olson)

Scesniak 19'

Leigh 37'

C. Sengstock 85' (A Pistorius), 90' (A Olson)

Stephens 87' (A Pistorius)

Crystal Lake Force kept the pressure high as soon as the game started. Holding dominant possession and pressing forwards into Edgewater Castle's third, a Force midfielder passed the ball directly to their striker past ECFC's defenders, causing a one-on-one with ECFC keeper Zoe Bohmer. In this instance, the striker shot the ball right, just beyond Clark's reach. Holding the 1-0 lead with only 3 minutes into the match, Force looked confident going into the game.

That would all soon change as momentum sprung on the Rooks' side. Immediately following that goal, Edgewater looked to to be in sync, maintaining posession of the ball and forcing multiple corner kicks. The Rooks would first strike first from the corner in the 9th minute: Kily Egan would cross the ball directly to Emily Olson, who passed the ball back to ECFC Women's First Team captain Lauren Hall. Being undefended, Hall would send the ball flying over Force's defenders into the top right corner. Making the impressive goal gave motivation not only to Hall but to the entire squad.

"I'm more of an assister than a goal scorer, so [I felt] a combination of shock and elation," Hall said after the game. "I screamed at the top of my lungs and it felt so good to get that goal so quickly after theirs to create momentum and to open the door for 5 more goals!"

Hall's assessment rang true, as only 10 minutes later the Rooks would strike again. After resetting the ball on a throw in in the midfield, Ashley Scesniak would launch the ball from outside the box directly in the middle of Force's goal. Crystal Lake's keeper tried to block the ball with her hand, but the powerful shot would make the effort fruitless. With Scesniak's goal, the Rooks took snagged the lead from Force and made sure not to give it up for the rest of the game.

The Rooks would make their pressence felt again towards the end of the first half. At 37', striker Jocelyn Leigh would score while pushing up the field on the right. Rushing past defenders, Leigh would slot the ball just out of Force's keeper's reach right, adding yet another example of the Rooks' offense meshing well together.

As the second half went underway, both sides battled for the ball. Neither side was able to generate results in-goal, with both sides sharing the ball evenly across the pitch. Crystal Lake's offense was also heating up: from the 74th to 77th mintue, multiple chances were shot on goal, many of which only just missed the net. However, building off of their energy from the first half, the Rooks were able to show off their offensive prowess in the dying embers.

In the 85th minute, Molly Pistorius ran the ball up towards Force's right corner. Cameron Sengstock, following closely behind, managed to get open inside of Crystal Lake's box, giving Pistorius the opportunity to cross in. After doing so, Sengstock tapped the ball in to make the game 4-1.

Only 2 minutes later, Pistorius would gain another asist, this time helping Katherine Stephens get on the scoresheet. Rushing up the right again, Pistorius would cross the ball to Stephens, who would land a clinical header left past the keeper to rack up another goal for the Rooks.

One final goal would come right at 90' off of a corner kick. Scesniak would send the ball to Olson, who would head the ball over and upward to the other end of Crystal Lake's box. Cameron Sengstock was waiting in the wings, and once the ball was headed to her she headed it herself to seal her brace and the 6-1 victory.

After the result, it is clear that the Rooks are working together well to make their offense click. With momentum on their side, the Women's First Team are looking to make this year's UWS season one to remember.

"Our team chemistry is just so evident by the goals we scored," Hall reflected. "It's so nice to watch it all come together on the field."

Be sure to catch the Women's First Team in action this Saturday, June 7th at Hoyne Field as they face Rockford Raptors at 7:00 pm.