Junior forward Macey DeMoss knows what it takes to score goals for Rosary.
She’s averaged over two goals a game so far in her high school career, which began last season.
DeMoss knew her best chance of finding the back of the net Thursday would be to aim high against St. Francis goalkeeper Kennedy Karl, a 5-foot-2 freshman who was playing in just her fourth high school game.
“Yeah, I was looking to get it up high as opposed to down low in the corners,” DeMoss said. “It was frustrating missing opportunities, but I just wanted to get as many opportunities as possible and take advantage.”
DeMoss did take advantage, but not as often as she would have liked — or as often as the Royals need her to.
She scored her 20th goal of the season midway through the second half for Rosary, but host St. Francis held on for a 3-1 Metro Suburban Conference victory in Wheaton.
Rosary coach Amy McMahon has seen DeMoss score so many goals that she has come to expect great things.
“She’s a great player,” McMahon said of DeMoss. “She’s fun to watch. She creates a lot of her own opportunities.
“Sometimes, her teammates are just amazed by what she does and don’t follow her up the field, but (Thursday) they did a lot in the second half, so that was good.”
DeMoss, who took nine of Rosary’s 13 shots, wasted no time in trying to make a difference. She missed wide right on a shot three minutes into the game and saw Karl make a leaping save on a 20-yard liner a minute later.
DeMoss came up empty on her first five shots, which included two that sailed just high and another that struck the crossbar 18 seconds into the second half.
The Spartans (1-2-1, 1-1) led 2-0 with 17:59 remaining when DeMoss broke through. She turned and fired a 20-yard shot that Karl jumped and got both hands on but couldn’t stop.
The ball trickled into the net to cut Rosary’s deficit to 2-1.
“I think the first half we were a little bit slow, but the second half we responded and came back more aggressive,” DeMoss said. “I thought we had a pretty good shot to get in and tie it up.”
Indeed, the Royals (5-3-1, 1-1) had the better of the play in the second half, outshooting the Spartans 10-4.
Junior goalkeeper Ellie Baum stopped St. Francis’ first three shots in the second half, but Lauren Bruce scored on a 20-yard shot from a tough angle to ice the game with 55 seconds left.
Despite the loss, McMahon was pleased with the effort.
“All in all, they work hard,” McMahon said. “I think at times in the first half they were a little bit nervous, but after a good halftime talk and the realization that they can compete with them, they really did have a better second half.
“So, I was really proud of them.”
McMahon has a young team, with a starting lineup that includes two sophomores and three freshmen.
A dangerous attacker like DeMoss will keep the Royals competitive in most games.
“She creates her own space, which is really good,” McMahon said. “She has a good view of the field and she knows when to take it in the attack or when to pass it.”
DeMoss said she has been playing soccer since she was 4. All that time, her mindset has been the same.
“Just being aggressive is a big part of it,” DeMoss said. “That and effort.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.