Sandburg edges out Stagg

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:12PM

There is no place like home -especially when a team hasn't played at home in its first eight games of the season.

Sandburg, playing its first varsity soccer game at home Tuesday night on the new turf in Orland Park, defeated Stagg 1-0 in a SouthWest Suburban crossover.

"There is nothing bad about this field," Sandburg coach Jack Ferraro said. "New turf, new goals, new corner flags and you can see the lines. It's alive for soccer. It's perfect."

The new field's drainage system was tested as the game was called with 38:27 left in the second half after a 45-minute lightning/weather delay. The contest was official, however, meaning Sandburg could celebrate its fourth straight victory.

Sandburg (6-3) and Stagg had a bit of grudge match, going back and forth in the first half, but the Eagles held the Chargers to just one shot on net.

With 11:40 remaining in the first half, Taylor Zalewski hit a perfect free kick from 52 yards out, the ball going to Eric Maier to the right of the goal. Maier headed the ball out in front of the goal, from where John Olson put a foot on it to score the game-winner for the Eagles.

"Taylor played a beautiful ball on Eric Maier's head and Maier laid it across the goal and it basically landed on my foot and all I had to do was run into it," Olson said. "The new field is great. It's good to be home."

The Zalewski-Maier combination is becoming a hit for Sandburg during the team's win streak. The two hope to continue to provide victories for the Eagles.

"For the last four games, me and Taylor have had perfect connections and we've scored all four times," Maier said. "He plays the best balls and I just basically need to put my head on it and it's either going in for a goal or as an assist. If we keep this up, we are going to score a lot of goals."

The game was supposed to be played at Stagg, which is awaiting its first home game of the season, but the field is not ready because of a construction strike earlier in the summer. The Chargers (3-4-2) are not looking for excuses, however, whether it's weather or the fact the team has yet to play a home game.

"We knew that coming into the season we'd be on the road," Stagg coach Mike Kealy said. "We don't use that as an excuse. Best team will win no matter what field. But don't get me wrong, we are definitely excited for our new field."

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