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2003 Season

 

 

 

 

Tuesday - March 16, 2004 GAME RECAPS

 

Latin at Naperville North

By Aaron Brown

 

Naperville, IL -- It is always possible for both teams to walk away from a game with a positive outlook, even though one team wins and one team loses. That was the case in Naperville on Tuesday night, as #4 Latin survived a scare from #13 Naperville North in overtime to walk away with their second straight victory of the season.

 

Latin had control of the game in the first half, scoring twice in the opening period and adding two more goals in the second quarter to lead 4-0. The Huskies cut the lead in half early in the third quarter, as Jon Rapchack and Steve Tangen each scored to make it a 4-2 game. John Wickes of Latin responded with a goal to make it 5-2 moments later, but Naperville ended the quarter with a goal from Nick Landiak to trail by a score of 5-3 going into the final period.

 

Chris Jenkins started the fourth quarter with a goal for Latin, and they were seemingly in control with a 6-3 lead. That feeling of a safe lead was erased in a span of thirty seconds, as Andrew Fitch stepped up with two goals to get North to within one goal of Latin. On his first goal, Fitch completely turned his defender and put the ball in the right corner. On Naperville's next possession, he was fouled outside of seven meters and went underwater. He popped up out of the water with the balland fired a blistering shot into the upper left corner without giving Latin's goalie much of a chance to respond.

 

In the final two minutes, Naperville North got the equalizer goal to tie the score at 6-6. They had one last shot to win the game, as goalie Justin Licht (14 saves) heaved a shot to the deep end that bounced off the goalie's hands and hit the crossbar but bounced out and the horn sounded with the two teams tied.


In overtime, Latin capitalized on a powerplay opportunity, as Jenkins banked a shot off the right post they barely crossed the goal line to give Latin a 7-6 lead. After a turnover, Latin scored on an uncontested shot to make it 8-6 near the end of the first overtime period. In the closing minute, the Huskies got some momentum back as Licht stonewalled Wickes on a breakaway chance to keep North in the game. However, Naperville North could not score at all in the overtime period as the Latin defense stepped up to claim a big 8-6 win on the road.
 

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