Taylor Mills’ early goal lifts Kaneland past Sycamore, snaps 3-game skid to Spartans

MAPLE PARK – When Kaneland forward Taylor Mills raced past the Sycamore defense and connected on a goal in the ninth minute, it was the first time someone scored in regulation in more than a year in the matchups between the two girls soccer teams.

It was the only goal the Knights needed in their 1-0 Interstate 8 Conferencewin over the Spartans on Wednesday, snapping a three-game losing streak to Sycamore.

[  Photos: Sycamore, Kaneland girls soccer teams meet on the pitch ]

“It feels amazing,” said Mills, a freshman forward who is second on the Knights with 17 goals this year. “We‘ve worked really hard at practice. This was an amazing game we had as a team. ... I think this was probably our best game this year yet.”

Sycamore (11-3-1, 7-1 I-8) had won three straight in the series, all on penalty kicks after scoreless regulations. The Spartans won earlier this year in Sycamore.

They also beat the Knights (13-2-1, 7-1) twice in a row at Maple Park last year in a span of 12 days, both on penalty kicks after scoreless regulations. The first gave Sycamore a share of the I-8 title, and the second gave the Spartans a regional title.

“These are tough battles,” Kaneland coach Scott Parillo said. “If someone can score, usually they’re going to win the game. ... If nobody scores, then it goes to PKs and it’s anybody’s game. So you want to control your own destiny here.”

On Wednesday, Mills took a feed from Erin Doucette and sped past the Sycamore defense. She put the shot to the far right side, where Sycamore goalie Brooke Cutlip had no play on the ball.

The assist on the play by Doucette was her 10th of the year.

“I saw a gap in between two of the players, so I made my run out wide,” Mills said. “I saw my friend Erin take it in the middle. She played a beautiful pass, and I just took it and I got it.”

Sycamore’s best scoring opportunity came in the first three minutes of the second half, when Marin Gautcher got a one-on-one with Kaneland goalie Natalie Myers, but the shot was off frame.

For the rest of the half Kaneland was able to control the game offensively until a late push by the Spartans in the final minutes.

“That’s one thing we always talk about, put doubt in the other team’s head,” Sycamore coach Kevin Bickley said. “Get that first one, and the longer it stays 0-0 they start thinking ‘Here we go, four in a row.”

Parillo said it was the longest in the past five games the Knights have taken to score, having scored in the first minute twice in that stretch.

Each team has two conference games remaining. If both teams win out, they’ll split the conference title for the second straight year.

“We don’t want to have a letdown,” Parillo said. “We play Morris and [La Salle-Peru], we beat them both. So you want to finish the conference season strong. ... As long as neither one of us screw up in conference, we‘re going to be just fine.”

Sycamore and Kaneland are in the Class 2A Belvidere Sectional, and each is scheduled to host a regional tournament. They wouldn’t be able to meet until at least the sectional semifinals.