[quote]By Kiera Donovan
Photo by Alexis Rizzi
[/quote]

Boys’ soccer shut out Waubonsie Valley 3-0 at Mustang Stadium on Tuesday night. The team celebrated its third conference win, defeating its rival, the Warriors.

“A lot of guys came out excited to play for this game,” senior Joey Coryell said. “[Waubonsie] came out hard and we put what we practice into the game and it led us to success.”

Coryell allowed no goals in the net for the night and was backed by a strong defense. The defense was complemented by a dominating offense, that had control of the ball for the majority of the game and closed out the score later in the second half.

“With a great result, like three [to] nothing, it’s hard not to be happy,” head varsity coach Joshua Robinson said. “We hope to continue to play well.”

From the first whistle, all the way to the last, the energy from the team was evident. The intensity and tenacity of the players provided for an interesting game.

The team’s strong communication propelled them through the battle of the first half, with a score 25 yards out by sophomore Ryan Barry, with four minutes left. With a 1-0 score leading at the half, the Mustangs held onto the momentum moving later into the game.

The Mustangs continued to push in the second half, and a few key players took the field to capitalize on the many goal opportunities of the game. Forward Michael Adams scored with 21 minutes left in the game, and midfielder John Lynch followed soon after with a goal on a free kick.

“We had a lot of great opportunities to score,” senior John Lynch said. “We were able to finish more in the second half, and I think that’s something we’ll work on in the future.”

This win was an exciting point for the team as they work for a comeback to a shaky beginning of the season. The Mustangs started out at a 1-5 record, but have since won six of their last eight games, bringing themselves to a .500 record on the season.

“All our players are stepping up,” Robinson added. “They’re competing against each other for playing time, and working hard to compete against other teams.”

The Mustangs defeated Naperville Central 1-0 for the first time in program history Sept. 22, and succumbed to a 0-1, competitive loss to state-ranked Glenbard North last Saturday. Each win is a step forward for preparing for playoffs and getting the team where they want to be by the end of the season. “Positivity as a team is what will help us carry our success further in the season,” according to senior Michael Adams.

The team will face Lake Park in a conference match-up Thursday at home.