Swift’s late goal propels Naperville North past Metea Valley

Updated: April 26, 2011 9:50AM

After Zoe Swift scored the game-winning goal with 2:24 remaining, the loudest noise in the stadium didn’t come from stands or the Huskie bench. It came from Swift herself.

The sophomore forward smiled and took a sigh of relief before being mobbed by her teammates knowing she escaped from being the potential goat in North’s 1-0 victory over Metea Valley Monday.

With 24:32 remaining in the scoreless game, North co-captain Adrienne Schertz was tripped in the box and was awarded a penalty kick. Swift took the penalty and blasted it wide right.

Swift found her redemption however a little more than 22 minutes later.

The ball was crossed into the box and Metea (10-6-1) muffed the clearing attempt, and it went to a wide-open Swift 15 yards from the goal. Swift took a touch and then drilled the ball into the left corner past the Mustang keeper.

“I came back from that missed kick that I should have gotten and I finally got one which felt really good,” Swift said. “I just focused on the kick and I got wide open. If I would have missed that shot I would have been really mad.”

North had more chances outshooting Metea 11-2, however, the Huskies (8-3-1) couldn’t find a way to get the ball past Mustang keeper Megan Geldernick. With 5:12 remaining in the first half North’s Christa Szalach hit a left-footed shot that was heading for the corner of the net. But Geldernick read the play perfectly and made diving save to her right to keep the game level.

“It is learning situation for us and we just can’t let balls bounce in the box. We played great for the 37 minutes but then I think we wore out a bit,” Mustangs coach Pat Feulner said. “I was really proud of the way our girls played. Megan (Geldernick) kept us in the game and we played hard and really frustrated them (North).”

North’s defense has been the key as they have given up just nine goals in the past eight games.

“We have an entirely different defense than what we started with in the beginning of the season and I think the girls are really getting comfortable with one another,” Huskies coach Brent Terada said. “They stay organized, keep everything in front of them and challenge every shot.”

This was the first varsity meeting between the schools.

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