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Thursday - April 28, 2004

Naperville North Remains Undefeated After Comeback Win Over Oak Park

By Aaron Brown

Oak Park, IL -- With their perfect 26-0 record in jeopardy, Naperville North faced a seemingly insurmountable 6-0 deficit against Oak Park late in the first half. Just as things started to looked bleak, Naperville North's Trisha Meier ended the Oak Park run with 1:56 remaining in the first half, scoring on a shot from outside of seven meters to trim the lead down to 6-1 at halftime.

Meier's shot changed the complexion of the game, as North used the positive momentum before the break to go on a 7-0 run to take the lead by the end of the third period. Kim Buck delivered two quick backhand shots into the net to cut the lead to 6-3, and two-meter defender Sarah Fitch scored on a perimeter shot to close the gap to 6-4. Buck took over from that point on, scoring three more times in the period, with her last goal coming with 0:30 remaining in the quarter to finally give Naperville North a 7-6 lead.

Sarah Fitch, Kim Buck, and Trisha Meier provided the scoring in Naperville North's comeback victory

Fitch fired a laser into the lower left part of the net to give the Huskies some breathing room with an 8-6 lead. North's defense and Kelly McCann were able to keep Oak Park scoreless until the final minute, as Oak Park's Lauren Daggett capitalized on a North turnover to cut the lead down to 8-7 with 0:38 left in the game. That was as close as Oak Park would get, as Naperville North successfully ran the clock out to escape with an 8-7 win over an inspired Oak Park team, eager for a win on Senior Night.

The win was the second for Naperville North over Oak Park this season, as North won the eventual championship game over OPRF 8-2 at the St Charles North Tournament last weekend. This weekend, Naperville North will face their toughest challenges of the season, as they look to keep their record perfect against Stevenson, Homewood-Flossmoor, and Neuqua Valley at Saturday's Stevenson Tournament.

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