Girls soccer: Peck scores twice in Sycamore debut as team rolls past Auburn
SYCAMORE – With all the firepower contained on the front line of the Sycamore girls soccer team, a freshman making a surprise start helped spark the offense for the Spartans.
Jaden Peck finished with two of Sycamore’s goals and assisted on a third Tuesday in a 13-0 rout of Rockford Auburn to start the season.
“It was exciting,” Peck said. “I just really feel like part of the team. These girls have made me feel really welcome. I feel like I can be confident with the ball.”
Payton Siragusa scored just 94 seconds into the game for the Spartans (1-0). Erica Coulibaly passed the ball ahead to Taylor Meier, who shot the ball just wide, but Peck was there for a cross to an ope Siragusa for the score.
In the sixth minute, Coulibaly got her first goal to put Sycamore up 2-0 on the Knights (2-3). She finished with two goals and assisted on a goal by Kayla Radisic to close the first-half scoring.
Radisic finished with a team-best three goals.
Coulibaly said she’s been working on trying to improve her offensive game.
“I think I did really well making my runs up top,” said Coulibaly, a junior outside defender. “That’s what I’m really focused on, to be part of the attack this year. I’ve really worked on my defensive mindset. Now, I want to be more a part of the offense.”
Lichamer said he likes to see that level of attack from his outside defensive players.
“I like the moving up the field,” Lichamer said. “It’s something we practice, and it’s something I want to see in a game, even when the game is lopsided.”
By the numbers: Peck added goals in the 27th and 45th minutes of the 60-minute game – with Sycamore up 10-0 at halftime, the second half was only 20 minutes long. Peck also came close to connecting after drawing out the Auburn keeper in the 15th minute, but missed on the side of the net. Saydie Holland and Kierah Meier scored twice, and Taylor Meier added a goal.
Beyond the stats: According to online team records, Tuesday was the fifth time since the start of the 2014 season that the Spartans scored at least 10 goals, and 13 is the highest goal total in that span.
They said it: “It’s important when the matchup is a little uneven you’re still doing the things you’re supposed to be doing,” Lichamer said. “You have to make sure your formation doesn’t fall apart because everyone is trying to run down and score. You’re supposed to make the right decisions, and we saw that. We saw the right movement up top. Kudos to them.”
They said it: "It's important when the matchup is a little uneven you're still doing the things you're supposed to be doing," Lichamer said. "You have to make sure you're formation doesn't fall apart because everyone is trying to run down and score. You're supposed to make the right decisions, and we saw that. We saw the right movement up top. Kudos to them."
Up next: The Knights are at Boylan Catholic at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, while the Spartans host Dixon at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.