Sophomore forward Lizbeth Salinas feels a sense of urgency on every shot for West Aurora.
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Facing an elite goalkeeper in Bartlett senior Megan Kron, Salinas knew she had to optimize every chance that came her way. And then she got a pass from junior midfielder McKenzie Pearch.
“I wasn’t really expecting it because I was running toward the goal,” Salinas said. “That’s when McKenzie passed it to me and I just shot it. I thank her for the pass she gave me.
“Every chance I get, I like to shoot and see if it goes in.”
And so it goes. Salinas’ short volley went into the net cleanly during the 19th minute Tuesday night, lifting the host Blackhawks to a 1-0 Upstate Eight West victory over the Hawks.
Pearch posted her team-best sixth assist for West Aurora (9-2-1, 3-0). Kron, who made seven saves, entered the game with eight shutouts and eight goals allowed for Bartlett (4-4-4, 1-1-1).
A first-year varsity player, Salinas has emerged as a dynamic player on the ball with a natural sense for the goal and a certifiable knack for making things happen around the box.
She’s the second-leading scorer for the Blackhawks with seven goals and five assists.
“As a freshman last year, I just didn’t feel good or the sense I was a strong enough person,” Salinas said. “I wanted to take my time playing on the freshman team.
“Since I’m an older person now, I feel more comfortable. I’m strong at protecting the ball and attacking and I can play at this level.”
West Aurora coach Jorge Espana said Salinas has excelled early on at meshing together the technical parts of the game with her instinctive awareness.
“I think the main thing is her soccer IQ,” he said. “It’s very high and she uses it to her advantage. She knows how to move. When she possesses the ball, there’s only one thing on her mind.
“That’s to shoot, and she shoots from anywhere. She’s on target, just like (Tuesday). Against Kron, you’re not going to have many opportunities, but Lizbeth took advantage of the one we had.”
Sophomore forward Giselle Perez is the Blackhawks’ leading scorer with 11 goals and five assists. The two young players have a strong rapport on the field and play to each other’s strengths.
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“I just think we’re really good at passing, and when we create pressure, we force the other teams into making mistakes,” Perez said of Salinas. “That allows us to have more chances.
“She has a really strong foot and can score from anywhere. She’s also very cool out there.”
Off the field, the quiet Salinas likes to draw and work with her hands. As the youngest child of four from a soccer-mad family, the game always had a great emotional pull.
“My dad played in Mexico and then he came here,” she said. “That made me want to play the game. I was like 4 years old and I’d get on the bus just kicking the ball.
“My older brother Orlando, he’s 24 now, and he really helped teach me the game. He was the one who was always there for me, helping me up if I was ever down and things like that.”
As reflective as she is off the field, those early years of sticking up for herself and asserting her own personality into family games shaped her competitive qualities.
“Even back then, I’d just be out there attacking them with the ball and showing what I could do,” Salinas said. “Ever since I started playing, my first touch and scoring is a talent I’ve always had.
“I played against guys and that made me feel stronger. I realized I could be as strong as any girl.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.