Girls soccer: Oswego East comes from behind against Minooka

OSWEGO – Oswego East senior forward Anya Gulbrandsen is always picking up her teammates.

The Wisconsin recruit is an elite player capable of changing the momentum of a game with a quick swing of her powerful and accurate leg.

Gulbrandsen has been the main driving force behind Oswego East’s resurgence early this season, scoring 10 of the Wolves’ 14 goals.

For a change, her teammates managed to supply the offense in a key Suburban Prairie Conference home game against undefeated Minooka.

Before a large crowd on a late sunny Tuesday afternoon, Lana Bomstad and Riley Gumm both scored goals to spark the Wolves to a 2-1 comeback victory over the Indians in conference play.

“Our girls came back from a 1-0 hole after giving up a goal and kept fighting back, playing hard and they found their composure and rhythm and a few seams and we started kind of giving it back to Minooka,’ Oswego East coach Juan Leal said. “It was a very physical game. We can learn from the physicality of it. This is a huge win, especially with them coming in with an undefeated record. We were playing a tough team, but we have a good product. This means a lot, gives us momentum.”

After allowing a goal in the fourth minute that looked to doom the Wolves (6-3, 3-0), Oswego East junior goalie Maddie McGregor slammed the net closed for the Indians in the final 75 minutes. She finished with seven saves, overcame two in-game minor injuries and left the field filled with mud on her uniform – and a smile.

“We made sure we were on top of the ball and after they scored that first goal, we made sure our momentum wasn’t down and I think we did a really good job of that,” McGregor said.

The Indians (8-1, 3-1-1) came out strong and aggressive, highlighted by a goal from sophomore midfielder Callie Hefner for a 1-0 lead. The Wolves, specifically Gulbrandsen, had numerous chances to tie the game until Bomstad’s goal following a shot that hit the top bar in the 22nd minute.

Bomstad said it was a great win for the Wolves, plus it was her first goal of the season.

“Basically, Kenzie (Coleman) went down the field and Anya had an amazing bicycle kick that hit the crossbar and I rebounded it,” Bomstad said.

Right before halftime, Gumm provided the eventual winning goal by drilling a free kick into the far-left corner in the 36th minute for a 2-1 edge.

“The gap was there and they were still setting up and I basically caught them off-guard,” Gumm said. “I had an opportunity to find the net.”

Minooka, limited due to several injuries to key players, nearly tied the game with 16 minutes left on Hefner’s hard-hit shot but McGregor made a diving save to her left to secure the save.

“Capitalizing early was huge and keeping the pressure up but I think they made a couple of changes and we didn’t connect as many passes or press as much as we should’ve in the first half,” Minooka coach Chris Brolley said.