Plainfield North scores 3 goals in 9 minutes, shuts out Plainfield East

PLAINFIELD – Heading into Thursday’s matchup between Plainfield North and Plainfield East, it would have been easy to assume the outcome.

Plainfield North has been one of the best girls soccer teams in the area for years and entered the game at Plainfield East with just two losses this season. The Bengals, meanwhile, entered the match with a .500 record.

Yet for the first 20 minutes during a gloomy day, the two teams were about as even as you could get. After that, however, Plainfield North showed why it’s one of the top teams in the area.

Plainfield North scored three goals in a nine-minute span to seize control, and Ilyana Barriball picked up a hat trick to secure a 4-0 Southwest Prairie Conference victory.

Plainfield North (13-2), which improved to 5-0 in conference, came into the contest on a three-game winning streak. A 1-0 loss to St. Charles North in the second game of the year and a 2-0 defeat against Glenbard West are the only blemishes on the Tigers’ record.

“I feel like we possessed the ball well and managed to find a groove,” Barriball said. “Staying undefeated in conference is really big for us. ... We have a pretty tough game against Oswego next week, so we have to be prepared for that. We have to keep playing and practicing hard heading into playoffs.”

The Tigers also have been winning in style, outscoring opponents 39-8 with eight shutouts on the year.

Thursday showed that North also is capable of shaking off a slow start to get the desired result.

“We started figuring out how to connect and not pass to the other team,” coach Katie Monterosso said with a laugh. “That was one of the big problems along with some communication issues. Sometimes we just need to get into the game a little and figure some things out. Once we did we got the ball rolling.”

The Bengals (7-8-2), on the other hand, have seen a solid start turn into a rough finish. Plainfield East began the season 6-3-1, but that run has been followed by a 1-5-1 stretch.

While Caroline Dinnon (nine goals, 11 assists) and Kessiah Purnell (nine goals) have had great seasons, the defense has allowed 22 goals despite some solid goalkeeping from Nini Ramos.

A 2-5-1 record in the SPC has East in the lower half of the table with the playoffs rapidly approaching.

“I think we came out well, but then we had a little bit of a moment,” assistant coach Lisa Simon said. “The second half was a lot better. We just have to keep moving forward. We’re a young team. We have to keep building toward the playoffs and for the future.”

The Tigers got on the board midway through the first half as Barriball snuck one in just past the outstretched hands of keeper Nini Ramos.

Mady Czarnik added to the Plainfield North advantage with 13 minutes left in the opening half and Barriball made it a brace for herself just two minutes after that.

Credit Plainfield East for not surrendering. The Bengals continued to attack in the second half, earning several chances while holding North without another goal for 22 minutes.

After that, Barriball made it a hat trick on a nice shot from distance to increase the score to 4-0.