Wildkit Girls Pass Physical, But Can't Score On Trevs

The evidence was clear after the Evanston girls soccer team passed the physical --- but couldn’t score --- against defending Class 3A state champion New Trier Tuesday night at Lazier Field.

The deep bruise on junior goalie Kanako Wagner’s thigh had already turned a lovely shade of deep purple by game’s end.

And the fact that the visiting Trevians required more ice bags from ETHS trainer Khaliah Elliston than the home squad might have been at least some consolation for Evanston.

Evanston stood toe-to-toe with the Trevs in a physical contest that was decided on Abby Morton’s header past Wagner in the 23rd minute, enough to deliver a 1-0 triumph for New Trier and extend its unbeaten streak to 33 games in a row dating back to last season.

Only one team --- Libertyville in a 1-1 tie the first week of the 2025 season --- has managed to score so far this spring on New Trier, now 13-0-2 overall. Evanston slipped to 7-2-2 on the year and now will have to rely on help from other teams in the division in an effort to at least earn a share of their fourth straight Central Suburban League South division title in a row.

ETHS head coach Stacy Salgado found a silver lining in defeat.

“We lost to them last year and went on to win the championship,” Salgado pointed out. “This is always the most physical game we play, and we knew that going into today. Our girls played hard. They were locked in on defense, and they knew what they had to do. We just had a lapse on that one goal they scored. We didn’t get ‘beat’ (physically) on that play.

“It was just a matter of some small breakdowns on defense, and making our shots and (scoring) chances count more. New Trier’s style of play has always been direct, coming over the top at you and usually bypassing the mids (midfielders). When we played Naperville North, we weren’t prepared for them physically even though we know that’s how they play. Tonight, we were prepared for it.”

Led by Wagner (10 saves) and defenders Dami Adeniyi and Maizlyn Kelly, the Wildkits matched New Trier’s defensive intensity minute-by-minute. But the Trevians did win the possession battle in the second half with constant pressure that seldom allowed the hosts to cross the 50-yard line with the ball.

Evanston didn’t put a single shot on goal in the second half. Their best opportunity to score came 10 minutes into the second half, when Adeniyi ignited a restart from the 45-yard line and Kelly made a run, knifing in for a header that sailed well above the crossbar.

Just after that play, Kelly collided with New Trier’s sturdy forward, Dami Balogun, and injured her knee slightly. She and Balogun banged other parts of their bodies whenever they got matched up 1-on-1, especially near the net.

“Maizlyn is very strong in the air (challenging for 50-50 balls), and having a player like her back there to win those balls is huge,” Salgado praised.

“When another team scores on us, it’s usually because of a (mental) lapse. We have to remember to be locked in for a full 80 minutes. Hopefully we’ll clean things up like that by the end of the season.”