With the addition of several players coming over from Lincoln-Way East, Lauren Bulow has seen her playing time cut this season for Lincoln-Way Central.
Bulow, a senior who plays defender and forward, hasn’t complained about it, however. When she got her chance to come off the bench Friday, she was ready.
“I’ve been playing with these girls for so long that they’re like my sisters,” Bulow said. “Every time I get out there, I’m like ‘This is my chance. I can play for myself and for my sisters.'”
That mindset worked wonders against Tinley Park. Bulow and fellow reserve Alyte Katilius both scored goals to lift the host Knights to a 2-0 victory.
It was the fifth straight win for Lincoln-Way Central (6-2). Tinley Park (4-3) dropped its third straight.
Bulow had just entered the game when she got her chance to score in the 32nd minute.
Kailie Novak, who assisted on both goals, took a corner kick and sent it toward the middle of the box, where Bulow pressured Tinley Park goalkeeper Amanda Ashmus. Bulow was there to poke in the rebound.
“Kailie played maybe the best ball ever,” Bulow said. “I just got up there and (surprised Ashmus). I’m not a really scary person, but it worked. It was my first shot of the year and my first goal.”
Bulow, who played forward in the past, moved to defender at the start of this season. But she was again playing up top against the Titans.
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“(Lincoln-Way Central coach Dan Radz) put me in the back because he thought I was fast enough to do a good job,” Bulow said. “It’s tough moving back and forth between positions, but once you get into a groove, it’s fine.”
With Tinley generating a ton of pressure early in the second half, Katilius provided some cushion with 27:41 to go. She broke open down the left side of the field off Novak’s free kick and scored to make it 2-0.
“I felt like I was all alone in the desert,” Katilius said. “There was no one near me and I put it in.
“At the beginning of the season, I was starting and playing a lot. This was kind of redemption for me to show that I deserve to play.”
Peyton Vecchiet recorded her fifth shutout by making 10 saves, including a big stop to deny Alyssa Kuduk in the second half.
Carolina Carrillo and Morgan Sniegolski each had two shots on goal for the Titans.
“We’re moving the ball well and doing a lot of good things to create chances,” said Tinley Park assistant Mike Boniface, who ran the team with coach Michelle Youngberg out of town. “We’re just struggling with finishing.”
De La Salle 4, Holy Trinity 1: Kayla Cianflone scored twice for De La Salle (3-1).
Baseball
Chicago Christian 5, Nordonia (Ohio) 4: Tommy Moran was 2-for-2 with a run and an RBI for Chicago Christian (11-0), which went 5-0 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Lemont 3, West Broward (Fla.) 2: Jack Small hit a two-run homer as Lemont (6-0) won all four of its games in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Lockport 3, Joliet West 2: Conor Fitzgerald’s RBI single in the eighth boosted Lockport (3-1) in the Don Ladas Memorial/WJOL Tournament.
Providence 5, Minooka 2: Logan Anderson hit a two-run single and Gaosh Williams scored two runs for Providence (3-1) in the Don Ladas Memorial/WJOL Tournament.
Richards 6, Cleveland (Tenn.) 2: Donivan Williams hit a three-run homer for Richards (4-2).
Softball
Andrew 4, Reed-Custer 3: Maggie Bailey contributed a two-run double for Andrew (2-3) in the Providence Invitational.
Lockport 14, Neuqua Valley 2: Elena Woulfe was 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs for Lockport (5-0) in the Providence Invitational. Emily Dybas added three RBIs.
Providence 9, Manteno 2: Taylor Young went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs for Providence (2-1).
Boys Volleyball
Lockport 26-16-25, Oak Forest 24-25-22: Justin Elliott totaled six kills for Lockport (8-1) at Lewis.
Tiger Classic: Colin Meyer had 17 kills and 21 digs for Marist (9-0), which went 2-0 at Wheaton Warrenville South, the last match a 25-16, 22-25, 25-15 decision over Ohio state champion Darby.
College Baseball
Trinity Christian 18, Calumet 4: Stefano Belmonte hit two homers, including a grand slam, and had a program record nine RBIs for Trinity Christian (13-14, 1-4 CCAC South).
Steve Millar is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown. Freelancer writer Josh Krockey contributed.