Morton's Gonzalez bounces back big time
By Dave Owen
That Morton goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez allowed 11 goals allowed in 18 matches last season with nine shutouts is impressive.
Compare it to where Gonzalez was a year earlier and her performance is downright amazing.
The Mustangs senior suffered a torn ACL during volleyball season of her sophomore year, destroying her chance to play soccer that spring after she had started for the Morton varsity as a freshman.
But despite the knee damage, Gonzalez’s will and perseverance were soon on solid footing.
“It was honestly hard at first,” she said. “When the doctor mentioned that I needed surgery, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that I was going to miss soccer season.
“I would talk to my coach (Jim Bageanis), and he would be the one to encourage me to take my time and work hard during therapy so I can come back stronger.”
As her 2019 numbers showed: mission accomplished.
“I guess seeing that the team did so well my sophomore year without me (19 wins and a share of the West Suburban Conference Gold Division title) made me want to come back stronger and help them go farther,” Gonzalez said. “I wanted to prove myself, and show that I could bounce back after a challenge.”
“I hated not being able to play, and I knew that when I came back my junior year, I would have to fight for my spot. So I did everything my physical therapist told me to do and slowly regained strength in my knee.”
Fellow sophomore Elena Budziszewski capably took over as starting goalkeeper in 2018, as the Mustangs set a program record for wins and had just one conference loss (1-0 to Hinsdale South).
“Elena did a good job, considering being thrown into the fire as a sophomore,” Bageanis said.
Now a senior along with Gonzalez, Budziszewski continues to give Morton an excellent second option at goalkeeper.
“I feel they (she and Gonzalez) have a great relationship with each other,” Bageanis said. “They support each other at both games and practices.
“They push each other as well to get better,” Bageanis added. “Dayanna always supported Elena when she was hurt, and both now cheer each other on at games. Both are excellent examples of student-athletes.”
After being limited to watching and cheering in 2018, Gonzalez became a textbook example of bouncing back from adversity last spring.
Morton opened 2019 with a shutout win over Lincoln-Way East, then a 3-1 victory over eventual Class 3A supersectional qualifier Minooka. And that was just a prelude to a late season run of accomplishment.
Starting with a 1-0 win over Stagg on April 11, the Mustangs (who finished 16-6-0) reeled off a 12-game winning streak that didn’t end until a regional final loss May 18 to eventual Class 3A state semifinalist Lyons.
That great run produced history: the first undefeated WSC Gold title in Morton girls soccer history.
“Winning the championship was definitely such a great experience,” Gonzalez said. “It made me so proud to know that we were able to give it our all and have such a great outcome.”
Gonzalez and Morton had to go above and beyond in one of the streak’s biggest games, April 23 vs. then-fellow WSC Gold unbeaten Willowbrook.
“The game that I’m most proud of would be our game against Willowbrook,” Gonzalez said. “We had a teammate receive a red card (for a second yellow three minutes into the second half), and we were forced to play with one less player. We stepped up, worked harder and were rewarded with the (2-1) win.”
Two great saves by Gonzalez in a 60-second span of the second half punctuated that huge win. And big-time plays in the nets like that were the rule more than the exception.
“Dayanna has good size (5-foot 8) and knows how to make use of her frame,” Bageanis said. “She’s able to win balls in the box with her good jumping ability, as well as get down low for shots. Dayanna also has good hands and doesn’t give up very many rebounds.
“Dayanna is an important part of our team,” Bageanis added. “She is the type of athlete that brings a confidence to our team just being on the field.”
Morton outscored opponents 41-5 during the 12-game winning streak. And besides Willowbrook, huge victories would include a 1-0 win over Downers Grove South (on a Medelin Loza free kick) and a title-clinching 3-0 decision over Hinsdale South.
And Gonzalez’s comeback and high-caliber play were key elements in all that success.
“She had the dedication and perseverance to push through her rehab,” Bageanis said, “and she can back strong last season and was a big factor in wins against DGS and some other big teams.”
Said Gonzalez: “I was just glad that I was able to contribute to my team. I feel that what helped out the team the most was the fact that we kept pushing each other to reach limits that we didn’t even know we could reach. We all gave 100%, and would keep each other accountable for our mistakes.”
If Gonzalez’s junior year comeback was impressive, her performance freshman year was itself a major accomplishment.
Entering as a very unpolished goalkeeper, she earned the starting job and helped the Mustangs to 16 wins that year.
“I started playing soccer when I was about seven, but I was all over the place,” Gonzalez said. “They had me playing almost every position on the field.
“When I got to seventh grade I was Unity’s starting goalkeeper, but I was never really trained as a goalie. Our coach trained all the positions the same and didn’t have any special drills for the goalies.
“When I got to Morton,” Gonzalez added, “Coach Bageanis asked me to be his goalkeeper and his assistant coach (Mike Caruso) was the one to train me as a keeper.
“As a freshman starter I was definitely nervous because I felt like I had to step up, especially because I was the only freshman on the team for most of the season. But once the games started, I felt confident and knew that I was able to play with the older girls.”
Fine-tuning her goalkeeping skills, Gonzalez has continued to get better, at least when the injury bug hasn’t interfered.
“My freshman year I was learning so much about being an actual goalkeeper since it was my first year being taught and trained as a keeper,” she said. “Looking back I feel like I’ve improved on my reflexes, being able to move with the ball, knowing where to stand and how to position my hands and also how to read a player and where they might shoot the ball.
“My freshman year, I also played on the field a few times. But that all ended when I got a concussion and was out for a while. After that coach Bageanis and I decided that it was best for me to only play goalie.”
That decision has turned out to be a very, very good one.
But having finally enjoyed an entire healthy season last year, Gonzalez has had to endure another wait and see situation this spring with the COVID-19 virus canceling games and organized practices until at least May 1.
“This break was definitely a big disappointment to all of us,” Gonzalez said. “Especially to us seniors because it’s our last year.
“Most of us are doing different workouts and drills to keep getting touches on the ball. We all keep our hopes up and believe that the season will start up soon. And I know that when it does start up again, everyone will give it their all.”
And with eight starters back from a strong 2019 team, that all will be a lot.
“My expectations for the season are pretty big,” Gonzalez said. “I hope that with the returning players and with the new players that are being brought up, we’ll have a successful season.
“We all have different talents and I believe that if we work hard, talk to each other and push each other like we did last year, we can go further. Hopefully we have a more successful season than last year.”
Whatever this spring in limbo holds, Gonzalez should have a good soccer future.
“I plan to continue to play soccer in college,” she said, “but at the moment I’m not sure where. I’m still looking at different offers.”
Based on her history of learning fast, overcoming adversity and winning, Gonzalez will have a lot to offer.
“She really improved her conditioning this off-season and has gotten stronger,” Bageanis said, “which will only help her once we start playing again.
“She is an excellent student and is looking for a chance to play in college. She’s an athlete someone should take a chance on. They won’t be disappointed.”
By Dave Owen
That Morton goalkeeper Dayanna Gonzalez allowed 11 goals allowed in 18 matches last season with nine shutouts is impressive.
Compare it to where Gonzalez was a year earlier and her performance is downright amazing.
The Mustangs senior suffered a torn ACL during volleyball season of her sophomore year, destroying her chance to play soccer that spring after she had started for the Morton varsity as a freshman.
But despite the knee damage, Gonzalez’s will and perseverance were soon on solid footing.
“It was honestly hard at first,” she said. “When the doctor mentioned that I needed surgery, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that I was going to miss soccer season.
“I would talk to my coach (Jim Bageanis), and he would be the one to encourage me to take my time and work hard during therapy so I can come back stronger.”
As her 2019 numbers showed: mission accomplished.
“I guess seeing that the team did so well my sophomore year without me (19 wins and a share of the West Suburban Conference Gold Division title) made me want to come back stronger and help them go farther,” Gonzalez said. “I wanted to prove myself, and show that I could bounce back after a challenge.”
“I hated not being able to play, and I knew that when I came back my junior year, I would have to fight for my spot. So I did everything my physical therapist told me to do and slowly regained strength in my knee.”
Fellow sophomore Elena Budziszewski capably took over as starting goalkeeper in 2018, as the Mustangs set a program record for wins and had just one conference loss (1-0 to Hinsdale South).
“Elena did a good job, considering being thrown into the fire as a sophomore,” Bageanis said.
Now a senior along with Gonzalez, Budziszewski continues to give Morton an excellent second option at goalkeeper.
“I feel they (she and Gonzalez) have a great relationship with each other,” Bageanis said. “They support each other at both games and practices.
“They push each other as well to get better,” Bageanis added. “Dayanna always supported Elena when she was hurt, and both now cheer each other on at games. Both are excellent examples of student-athletes.”
After being limited to watching and cheering in 2018, Gonzalez became a textbook example of bouncing back from adversity last spring.
Morton opened 2019 with a shutout win over Lincoln-Way East, then a 3-1 victory over eventual Class 3A supersectional qualifier Minooka. And that was just a prelude to a late season run of accomplishment.
Starting with a 1-0 win over Stagg on April 11, the Mustangs (who finished 16-6-0) reeled off a 12-game winning streak that didn’t end until a regional final loss May 18 to eventual Class 3A state semifinalist Lyons.
That great run produced history: the first undefeated WSC Gold title in Morton girls soccer history.
“Winning the championship was definitely such a great experience,” Gonzalez said. “It made me so proud to know that we were able to give it our all and have such a great outcome.”
Gonzalez and Morton had to go above and beyond in one of the streak’s biggest games, April 23 vs. then-fellow WSC Gold unbeaten Willowbrook.
“The game that I’m most proud of would be our game against Willowbrook,” Gonzalez said. “We had a teammate receive a red card (for a second yellow three minutes into the second half), and we were forced to play with one less player. We stepped up, worked harder and were rewarded with the (2-1) win.”
Two great saves by Gonzalez in a 60-second span of the second half punctuated that huge win. And big-time plays in the nets like that were the rule more than the exception.
“Dayanna has good size (5-foot 8) and knows how to make use of her frame,” Bageanis said. “She’s able to win balls in the box with her good jumping ability, as well as get down low for shots. Dayanna also has good hands and doesn’t give up very many rebounds.
“Dayanna is an important part of our team,” Bageanis added. “She is the type of athlete that brings a confidence to our team just being on the field.”
Morton outscored opponents 41-5 during the 12-game winning streak. And besides Willowbrook, huge victories would include a 1-0 win over Downers Grove South (on a Medelin Loza free kick) and a title-clinching 3-0 decision over Hinsdale South.
And Gonzalez’s comeback and high-caliber play were key elements in all that success.
“She had the dedication and perseverance to push through her rehab,” Bageanis said, “and she can back strong last season and was a big factor in wins against DGS and some other big teams.”
Said Gonzalez: “I was just glad that I was able to contribute to my team. I feel that what helped out the team the most was the fact that we kept pushing each other to reach limits that we didn’t even know we could reach. We all gave 100%, and would keep each other accountable for our mistakes.”
If Gonzalez’s junior year comeback was impressive, her performance freshman year was itself a major accomplishment.
Entering as a very unpolished goalkeeper, she earned the starting job and helped the Mustangs to 16 wins that year.
“I started playing soccer when I was about seven, but I was all over the place,” Gonzalez said. “They had me playing almost every position on the field.
“When I got to seventh grade I was Unity’s starting goalkeeper, but I was never really trained as a goalie. Our coach trained all the positions the same and didn’t have any special drills for the goalies.
“When I got to Morton,” Gonzalez added, “Coach Bageanis asked me to be his goalkeeper and his assistant coach (Mike Caruso) was the one to train me as a keeper.
“As a freshman starter I was definitely nervous because I felt like I had to step up, especially because I was the only freshman on the team for most of the season. But once the games started, I felt confident and knew that I was able to play with the older girls.”
Fine-tuning her goalkeeping skills, Gonzalez has continued to get better, at least when the injury bug hasn’t interfered.
“My freshman year I was learning so much about being an actual goalkeeper since it was my first year being taught and trained as a keeper,” she said. “Looking back I feel like I’ve improved on my reflexes, being able to move with the ball, knowing where to stand and how to position my hands and also how to read a player and where they might shoot the ball.
“My freshman year, I also played on the field a few times. But that all ended when I got a concussion and was out for a while. After that coach Bageanis and I decided that it was best for me to only play goalie.”
That decision has turned out to be a very, very good one.
But having finally enjoyed an entire healthy season last year, Gonzalez has had to endure another wait and see situation this spring with the COVID-19 virus canceling games and organized practices until at least May 1.
“This break was definitely a big disappointment to all of us,” Gonzalez said. “Especially to us seniors because it’s our last year.
“Most of us are doing different workouts and drills to keep getting touches on the ball. We all keep our hopes up and believe that the season will start up soon. And I know that when it does start up again, everyone will give it their all.”
And with eight starters back from a strong 2019 team, that all will be a lot.
“My expectations for the season are pretty big,” Gonzalez said. “I hope that with the returning players and with the new players that are being brought up, we’ll have a successful season.
“We all have different talents and I believe that if we work hard, talk to each other and push each other like we did last year, we can go further. Hopefully we have a more successful season than last year.”
Whatever this spring in limbo holds, Gonzalez should have a good soccer future.
“I plan to continue to play soccer in college,” she said, “but at the moment I’m not sure where. I’m still looking at different offers.”
Based on her history of learning fast, overcoming adversity and winning, Gonzalez will have a lot to offer.
“She really improved her conditioning this off-season and has gotten stronger,” Bageanis said, “which will only help her once we start playing again.
“She is an excellent student and is looking for a chance to play in college. She’s an athlete someone should take a chance on. They won’t be disappointed.”