PFN strikes early, often

Updated: May 3, 2011 11:14PM

PLAINFIELD — The streak is at 18 and counting.

Plainfield North won its 18th straight Southwest Prairie Conference game by scoring three times in the first half of a 5-0 road win over Plainfield East Tuesday.

The Tigers (12-2-2, 4-0 in the SPC) scored twice in a little more than 20 minutes to stun the Bengals (8-5, 0-4). The streak dates back to the start of the 2009 season.

“We really don’t talk about streaks or anything like that,” Plainfield North coach Jane Crowe said. “Our goal is to not give up a conference goal.”

So far, so good. The Tigers, who were playing their first game in 10 days, have outscored their league opponents 25-0.

“We’re more focused on the regional and not letting any goals in during the conference season, for sure,” senior forward Callie O’Donnell said.

Ashley Handwork scored four goals, two from Kaela Leskovar in the first half and two from O’Donnell in the second half. Handwork and O’Donnell are tied for the team and league lead with 16 goals each.

O’Donnell tallied her 16th goal with 2:56 to play in the first half, bumping the lead to 3-0 at the intermission. Handwork was credited with the assist, her 11th of the season, which ranks third in the SPC.

“We took a while to get started, but when we started scoring, it was hard to stop us,” O’Donnell said.

Plainfield North was inches away from scoring twice more during the first 40 minutes, but it hit the crossbar on both occasions. Plainfield East did not have a shot on goal in the first half.

Late in the second half, Plainfield East’s Erica Lopez and Lexi Lawdensky each had great chances, but failed to break the shutout.

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