Wolves come up short in regional title match

Scott Ackman has coached high-school soccer long enough to appreciate players who finish scoring plays.

Even when they're not wearing a Niles West uniform.

Two goals in the second half by Niles North's Javier Torres and Kosta Minchev ended West's season in a 2-0 loss in the championship game of the Evanston Regional on Saturday.

The contest was postponed from its original Friday date after lightning and rain hit the North Shore and extended West's season for one more day following a 2-0 conquest of Evanston in the regional opener. But the championship encounter played out like many regular-season games for the Wolves -- they just couldn't find the back of the net.

"Javvy (Torres) was fantastic in the middle, and both of the goals they scored were all him," praised Ackman after the Wolves bowed out with a final record of 11-7-3. "On the first goal he hit a through-ball to Kosta from the half-line, and on the second one it was the same type of play, but this time Kosta gave him the ball back on a cross and Javvy was all alone for a header. Those were the only two shots on goal North had -- but that was enough. We had so many scoring chances, but we couldn't score. We just didn't come ready to play Saturday.

"It was hard for us all year. We just couldn't finish on offense. But I thought we had a fantastic record considering it was the hardest schedule we've ever had."

The defeat marked the second for West in head-to-head competition with their district rivals. The losers put six shots on goal, including two by Ben Pintilei, but couldn't break through.

In the regional opener, the Wolves defeated Evanston for the first time in postseason play under Ackman behind goals from Pintilei and Mahi Mameledzija.

Goalie Danny Niedzielski was credited with seven saves, many of them from point-blank range.

Pintilei struck in the first half after a one-touch pass from Hani Arabi in the eighth minute. Mameledzija's 30-yard rocket shot clinched the win in the 51st minute.

"That's also the first time we've beaten Evanston twice in the same year," noted Ackman. "Danny was just fantastic in the net for us. He's the reason we won the game, and it will be great to have him back there the next couple of years. His only real weakness back there is his size, because technically he's one of the best goalkeepers I've ever coached. I think he got a lot more confidence this year."

One last push has prevented Niles West from being more than just competitive in one of the most competitive CSL South races in the past 20 years.

The Wolves will get one more opportunity when push comes to shove as postseason play begins. Seeded sixth in the Class 4A Highland Park Sectional complex, coach Stacy Metoyer's squad opens regional play tonight at Maine South against 12th-seeded Lake Forest at approximately 6:30 p.m. The regional championship match -- probably against New Trier -- is set for 5 p.m. Saturday.

Losses to Waukegan -- which prevailed 23-25, 25-23, 25-22 -- and to Evanston -- a 25-22, 25-19 winner -- forced West to settle for a 3-7 league record, good for a fourth-place finish. That's one more victory than West achieved last year, but Metoyer knows it could have been better.

Her team will take a 15-12 overall mark into postseason play.

"Realistically I think we could've been 5-5 in the conference," Metoyer said. "The positive side of this season is that we've never competed this well in conference. We've never been this close to so many of the other schools. But the frustrating thing is that we just don't finish matches when we're up. Anything can happen in the sectional. Crazy things can happen in the state playoffs, but if you don't push at the end, you're done."

West led Waukegan 22-17 in Game 3 of that match-up, but didn't score again. That thwarted another brilliant defensive effort from Nicole Rusek (21 digs), Kelly Kleppin (10), Elise Lee (9) and Jackie Rodriguez (9). Rusek also showed the way on offense with 10 kills.

The Wolves, with several players sick with colds and the flu, couldn't muster much of an energy level in the loss to Evanston Thursday that ended the regular season.

Rusek did put down 11 kills to go with her team-high 13 digs. Lauren LaGioia added seven kills and both Jackie Gremley and Jayne Kim contributed ace serves.