Sycamore girls soccer falls to Wheaton Academy

Sycamore High's Nici Newquist reacts during the Spartans 5-2 loss to Wheaton Academy in the Class 2A state semifinals Friday afternoon at North Central College in Naperville. (Beck Diefenbach - bdiefenbach@daily-chronicle.com)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

NAPERVILLE – The first two shots on goal by the Sycamore soccer team resulted in scores.

The bad news for the Spartans was those shots came at the midway point of the second half after Wheaton Academy already had torn through the Sycamore defense and put their substitutes in the game.

Sycamore lost 5-2 to Wheaton Academy in the first IHSA Class 2A state semifinal at North Central College in Naperville on Friday.

A stout Sycamore defense that had allowed nine goals all season surrendered three first-half goals to the Warriors in what proved to be a decisive opening 40 minutes.

The Spartans’ offense couldn’t establish sustained possessions because it was lacking overlapping support. Meanwhile the Sycamore defense, which had pushed up to midfield all season on offensive possessions, was caught on its heels when the speedy Warriors forwards mounted their runs.

It was a style of play Sycamore coach Dave Lichamer hadn’t seen all year.

“Our defense had been one of our stronger suits,” Lichamer said. “Not allowing a lot of shots and even when we do they are contested and not clean. We came out flat and didn’t have the same look.”

For more coverage of Friday's game, see Saturday's weekend edition of the Daily Chronicle. For coverage of Saturday's third-place game, follow live on twitter.com/dc_preps and visit Daily-Chronicle.com.