Redhawks' late goal edges Trevians

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Naperville Central's Kelly Blumberg stood in disbelief with her hands on her head.

Blumberg thought her right-footed miss on an open net had squandered the Redhawks' best scoring chance during their match against New Trier.

Little did Blumberg know she would get a chance at redemption moments later, and this time she wouldn't miss.

Blumberg accepted a pass from teammate Casey Short and slid a left-footed shot past New Trier goalie Caroline Kerr with 1 minute, 42 seconds remaining to give the host Redhawks a 1-0 victory over the visiting Trevians in an entertaining nonconference match Saturday.

"I knew I had to make up for missing that shot," said Blumberg, who scored for the 10th time this season. "I knew I had to help my team come to victory."

Blumberg's goal came as the Redhawks (16-4) finished the match with a flurry of scoring chances.

Central's Hillary Scott won the ensuing goal kick after Blumberg's near-miss. Scott passed to Short, who had twice sent two left-footed shot attempts inches wide of the New Trier net. Short took a few dribbles before she placed a perfect pass at Blumberg's feet.

"That's all three of our forwards working together to get a goal," Central coach Ed Watson said.

Blumberg said she managed to get open because the New Trier defense was so focused on stopping Short.

"They were going for [Short] and thinking she was going to take [another shot]," Blumberg said. "[Short] was right in the middle of the field. I just lapped around her, calling for the ball and she saw me and I just flipped (the ball) right past the keeper."

The Redhawks played without starting goalie Hannah Oppenheimer, who is out indefinitely and remains hospitalized after suffering a concussion and a left-leg injury during Central's 1-0 victory over Wheaton North on Thursday.

Freshman Chrissy Many earned her third start and recorded the shutout with five saves. Many's stiffest challenges came in the first half when the Trevians (15-3-2) used the wind at their backs to apply pressure. New Trier defender Alicia Johnson had the best chance on a restart when she sent a free kick from 35 yards out toward the top portion of the Central net, but Many jumped and punched the ball over the crossbar.

"She kept her line, and the most important thing there is to keep your eye on the ball and she did," Watson said.

New Trier managed six of its seven shots in the first half, but coach Jim Burnside would have liked to have seen more.

"We talked that we needed to take shots and I don't think we achieved what we wanted to, in that regard, of testing [Many]. But the tests that [Many] took -- she passed," said Burnside, who received a yellow card in the first half for arguing with officials.

The Redhawks, who are 5-0 in conference play, can now turn their attention to wrapping up the DuPage Valley Conference championship with victories this week at Glenbard East on Tuesday and at Wheaton Warrenville South on Wednesday.