SPRINGFIELD — After a long road trip and regaining injured players, Lincoln Land Community College was able to win Sept. 20 at home against the Illinois Valley Community College Eagles.

Before the game, Loggers Head Coach Peter Christofilakos was optimistic about the end of the road trip, and said that Sergio DaVentura and Jack Madin were set to return from injury.

The Loggers had recently been in injury trouble, but the only player to remain inactive for this game was Levi Slater.

The first half was a fast-paced affair for both sides. DaVentura immediately left his mark when he scored in the second minute of the game.

“It shows what we were missing over the past  few games,” said Loggers midfielder Dimitrije Antonijevic after the game about the players who were no longer sidelined by their injuries.

Following the early goal, both sides were in a counter-attacking stalemate, with the Eagles using deep central lobs and the Loggers using quick, long wing passes. The stalemate was eventually broken by Christian Fierro, who scored two quick goals to make it 3-0 Loggers. However, in the final seconds of the half, the Eagles got a buzzer beater off a free kick, which was headed in by midfielder Cory Beardsley, ending the half at 3-1.

The second half saw both sides play similar styles with more physicality involved. The Loggers were able to dominate possession but did everything except for score.

Despite not seeing a ton of shots, Loggers goalies Cale Sherrock (1st half) and Josue Resendiz (2nd half) were strong when they needed to be.

“I feel like our goalies have been clutch all year,” said Loggers forward Andrew Watters.

DaVentura was the best attacker of the half for LLCC, nearly putting in a bicycle kick and hitting a crossbar.

The second half finished scoreless, as the Loggers got the win by a final of 3-1. The Loggers’ win  makes them 2-6 on the year, while the Eagles fall to 0-10-1.

The Loggers were excited to finally get back in the win column after two hard-fought losses on the road. The Loggers’ offense ended up with 10 shots on goal, as those returning from injury appear to be gaining confidence and bolstering the team after injuries and losses.

As of Sept. 26, the Loggers have a 3-7 record. They lost 0-5 to the UIS Stars junior varsity team, but they won 2-1 on the road against the Carl Sandburg College Chargers.

Scott Adams can be reached at [email protected].