Barrington bears weight
of history, downs Loyola
Fillies top Ramblers 4-0 in 1st game of inaugural N. Shore Invite
WILMETTE -- The normal high expectation level for Barrington is amplified this season by the fact the reigning Mid-Suburban League champs have an overwhelming number of seniors.
Now you can now crank the dial up a notch or two because the 2017 edition of the Fillies have opened the season undefeated and unscored upon in five matches.
However, manager Ryan Stengren has not witnessed a complete peformance as of yet, and likely will not see one for awhile, which is just fine with him. The glimpses of high-level soccer seen Saturday suited him just fine in the Fillies tourney opener at the North Shore Invitational on Saturday at Loyola Academy.
At sun-kissed Hoerster Field, Barrington, ranked second in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, shut out tourney co-host Loyola 4-0 with a suffocating defense and four wonderful goal-strikes, including excellence in fnishing from Michayla Herr and Jackie Batliner in the final quarter hour to close out the win.
"It's been a busy and successful week beginning with a big win over Conant in the rain, snow and wind, then a little easier time with Buffalo Grove, then today when we beat an always well-coached Loyola team that was coming into the day on a four-game winning streak," began Stengren.
"At times this season, we've been able to play what I consider at a high level, but despite our record, there's still a way to go in our overall game. That's okay, because that's where we should be right now - and the girls understand that, and know that it's not how we start, but where we finish."
Where the Fillies (5-0-0) were at the start Saturday was in a tightly contested soccer match with a young and inexperienced Loyola (4-4-0) club which is still finding its way in the eyes of manager Craig Snower.
"It's a little bit different around here this season after having a team that past few seasons that just went out and beat people on sheer talent," Snower said. "Now, we have talented players, but they are so young, and need to grow and figure things out a little bit on their own.
"(So) the key word around here right now is patience," said Snower emphasizing the word. "We'll continue to practice patience as we go forward, and for now, prepare for Glenbrook South on Tuesday as tourney play continues."
Loyola did not do anything special in the early exchanges, but it did have most of the play as an uninspired opening quarter hour by the Fillies made things a little more difficult for Batliner and Haley Tausend who starred along the backline all throughout the day.
"Maybe it was this being our third game in three days, but we were not as sharp as we could have been. But the great thing about today, and this team, is we have very good players coming off of the bench, and today, when we needed that little extra spark, our bench provided it," said Batliner, who along with Tausend, Kayla Keck, and Madi Rosen kept most of the play in front of them, and away from keeper, Samantha Schmitz who recorded her fifth clean-sheet of the season.
Batliners' counterpart on the outside for Loyola, Faith Craddcok, enjoyed a solid 80-minutes of play all throughout. As one of the few seniors on the Ramblers roster, she jumped into the attack with ease, while providing several quality balls out of the back to help inspire the Loyola attack.
"We all know, and we've been saying it for awhile, but we're a really young team," said Craddock. "We're all still learning, especially on the tactical side of things, but we're going to get to where we need to be very soon."
Craddock combined with Vanessa Murray to create a corner at 23 minutes, and the nice inward swinging serve to the spot was pulled off of the head of Maggie Brett by Schmitz to take away a potential goal-scoring opportunity for the home side.
Minutes later, Craddock was at the heart of another chance when her serve in the box found Cate Shellenback whose header attempt went over the bar.
With things looking as if the first half was headed to a goal-less end, up popped the Fillies, who awoke from their attacking nap with two goals in the last three minutes.
Anna Brodjian celebrated her return after a long stay on the injured list by steering in the game-winner from a Lauren Caffe helper when Loyola conceded a loose ball in its own box.
Through the run of play, Maesyn Poidomani and Jackie Batliner created a lovely opportunity for Ashley Prell, and the sophomore finished with a sublime touch 2 seconds before haltime to suddenly send the visitors into intermission with a two-goal advantage.
"For the first 35 minutes we have a lot of the play, while playing real tight and not allowing much in the way of chances for Barrington," said Snower.
"But one miscue in our own end, and all of a sudden your chasing one goal, then another. I would have liked us to put one in ourselves to see how we would have played.
"We dropped our heads a little after that first goal, and that's how you get scored upon sometimes very quickly - but we'll learn from that."
The late first half explosion inspired the Fillies after the break, and for the first 10 minutes of the second period, it was all Barrington. The Fillies found new energy from varsity newcomer, freshman Tina Teik, brought on by Stengren at 47 minutes, as well as Sydney Bowling and Lauren Caffe, who each who gained valuable time a year ago with the big club.
"The key to our play today was some terrific work off the bench by several of the players that came on, which is going to make this team that much better as the season continues to move on," said Stengren.
Some nice combination work from Ellie Stodola, Prell and Poidomani helped put Loyola under. It forced keeper Maggie Avery to come off her line to dash the hopes of the trio in the 51st minute.
Barrington would use some timely possession and keep-away tactics from its backline to take nearly three minutes off the clock near the hour mark with Loyola sitting back during this display - looking to possibly dispossess their opponents to spring a surprise.
However, it was the Fillies who pulled off the surprise when Herr stepped up to unload an unstoppable 22-yard shot past a helpless Avery, who had no chance to catch-up to the well-aimed left footer at 69 minutes.
Batliner struck from almost the same spot on the pitch with her own superb left-footed strike to increase the lead to 4-0 ten minutes from time.
"It was nice to see us come out and play a much better second half of soccer, with a lot of that happening because of the players who came off the bench to play really well, and help make the difference for us today," said Tausend.
Loyola found some bright spots in the defeat.
"Emily Chrisman played really well as our center-back, and Vanessa (Murray) and Ally West were very good in the midfield for us today," said Craddock. "All of us did well in spots, so I feel we're getting a little better each time out."
Barrington will begin a busy stretch of five games against: division rival Palatine on Monday; Hinsdale Central in North Shore actionon Tuesday; Wheeling on Wednesday; and Glenbrook South in its final invitational pool game before a hoped for spot in the final Saturday.
Loyola will stick with invitational pool play against Glenbrook South on Tuesday and Hinsdale Central on Thursday, and the placing round Saturday.
Starting lineups
Barrington
GK- Samantha Schmitz
D- Madi Rosen
D- Kayla Keck
D- Haley Tausend
D- Jackie Batliner
M- Sophia Spinnell
M- Sydney Bowling
M- Michayla Herr
M- Lauren Caffe
F- Ellie Stodola
F- Ashley Prell
Loyola
GK- Maggie Avery
D- Faith Craddock
D- Emily Chrisman
D- Bella Broccolo
D- Lauren Daffada
M- Stephanie Ramsey
M- Ally West
M- Cate Shellenback
M- Vanessa Murray
F- Maggie Brett
F- Anna Perona
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jackie Batliner, sr., D, Barrington
Officials: Benyamin Rommel (center); Dorin Babolea (assistant); Mike Valsamis (assistant)
of history, downs Loyola
Fillies top Ramblers 4-0 in 1st game of inaugural N. Shore Invite
WILMETTE -- The normal high expectation level for Barrington is amplified this season by the fact the reigning Mid-Suburban League champs have an overwhelming number of seniors.
Now you can now crank the dial up a notch or two because the 2017 edition of the Fillies have opened the season undefeated and unscored upon in five matches.
However, manager Ryan Stengren has not witnessed a complete peformance as of yet, and likely will not see one for awhile, which is just fine with him. The glimpses of high-level soccer seen Saturday suited him just fine in the Fillies tourney opener at the North Shore Invitational on Saturday at Loyola Academy.
At sun-kissed Hoerster Field, Barrington, ranked second in the Chicagoland Soccer Top 25, shut out tourney co-host Loyola 4-0 with a suffocating defense and four wonderful goal-strikes, including excellence in fnishing from Michayla Herr and Jackie Batliner in the final quarter hour to close out the win.
"It's been a busy and successful week beginning with a big win over Conant in the rain, snow and wind, then a little easier time with Buffalo Grove, then today when we beat an always well-coached Loyola team that was coming into the day on a four-game winning streak," began Stengren.
"At times this season, we've been able to play what I consider at a high level, but despite our record, there's still a way to go in our overall game. That's okay, because that's where we should be right now - and the girls understand that, and know that it's not how we start, but where we finish."
Where the Fillies (5-0-0) were at the start Saturday was in a tightly contested soccer match with a young and inexperienced Loyola (4-4-0) club which is still finding its way in the eyes of manager Craig Snower.
"It's a little bit different around here this season after having a team that past few seasons that just went out and beat people on sheer talent," Snower said. "Now, we have talented players, but they are so young, and need to grow and figure things out a little bit on their own.
"(So) the key word around here right now is patience," said Snower emphasizing the word. "We'll continue to practice patience as we go forward, and for now, prepare for Glenbrook South on Tuesday as tourney play continues."
Loyola did not do anything special in the early exchanges, but it did have most of the play as an uninspired opening quarter hour by the Fillies made things a little more difficult for Batliner and Haley Tausend who starred along the backline all throughout the day.
"Maybe it was this being our third game in three days, but we were not as sharp as we could have been. But the great thing about today, and this team, is we have very good players coming off of the bench, and today, when we needed that little extra spark, our bench provided it," said Batliner, who along with Tausend, Kayla Keck, and Madi Rosen kept most of the play in front of them, and away from keeper, Samantha Schmitz who recorded her fifth clean-sheet of the season.
Batliners' counterpart on the outside for Loyola, Faith Craddcok, enjoyed a solid 80-minutes of play all throughout. As one of the few seniors on the Ramblers roster, she jumped into the attack with ease, while providing several quality balls out of the back to help inspire the Loyola attack.
"We all know, and we've been saying it for awhile, but we're a really young team," said Craddock. "We're all still learning, especially on the tactical side of things, but we're going to get to where we need to be very soon."
Craddock combined with Vanessa Murray to create a corner at 23 minutes, and the nice inward swinging serve to the spot was pulled off of the head of Maggie Brett by Schmitz to take away a potential goal-scoring opportunity for the home side.
Minutes later, Craddock was at the heart of another chance when her serve in the box found Cate Shellenback whose header attempt went over the bar.
With things looking as if the first half was headed to a goal-less end, up popped the Fillies, who awoke from their attacking nap with two goals in the last three minutes.
Anna Brodjian celebrated her return after a long stay on the injured list by steering in the game-winner from a Lauren Caffe helper when Loyola conceded a loose ball in its own box.
Through the run of play, Maesyn Poidomani and Jackie Batliner created a lovely opportunity for Ashley Prell, and the sophomore finished with a sublime touch 2 seconds before haltime to suddenly send the visitors into intermission with a two-goal advantage.
"For the first 35 minutes we have a lot of the play, while playing real tight and not allowing much in the way of chances for Barrington," said Snower.
"But one miscue in our own end, and all of a sudden your chasing one goal, then another. I would have liked us to put one in ourselves to see how we would have played.
"We dropped our heads a little after that first goal, and that's how you get scored upon sometimes very quickly - but we'll learn from that."
The late first half explosion inspired the Fillies after the break, and for the first 10 minutes of the second period, it was all Barrington. The Fillies found new energy from varsity newcomer, freshman Tina Teik, brought on by Stengren at 47 minutes, as well as Sydney Bowling and Lauren Caffe, who each who gained valuable time a year ago with the big club.
"The key to our play today was some terrific work off the bench by several of the players that came on, which is going to make this team that much better as the season continues to move on," said Stengren.
Some nice combination work from Ellie Stodola, Prell and Poidomani helped put Loyola under. It forced keeper Maggie Avery to come off her line to dash the hopes of the trio in the 51st minute.
Barrington would use some timely possession and keep-away tactics from its backline to take nearly three minutes off the clock near the hour mark with Loyola sitting back during this display - looking to possibly dispossess their opponents to spring a surprise.
However, it was the Fillies who pulled off the surprise when Herr stepped up to unload an unstoppable 22-yard shot past a helpless Avery, who had no chance to catch-up to the well-aimed left footer at 69 minutes.
Batliner struck from almost the same spot on the pitch with her own superb left-footed strike to increase the lead to 4-0 ten minutes from time.
"It was nice to see us come out and play a much better second half of soccer, with a lot of that happening because of the players who came off the bench to play really well, and help make the difference for us today," said Tausend.
Loyola found some bright spots in the defeat.
"Emily Chrisman played really well as our center-back, and Vanessa (Murray) and Ally West were very good in the midfield for us today," said Craddock. "All of us did well in spots, so I feel we're getting a little better each time out."
Barrington will begin a busy stretch of five games against: division rival Palatine on Monday; Hinsdale Central in North Shore actionon Tuesday; Wheeling on Wednesday; and Glenbrook South in its final invitational pool game before a hoped for spot in the final Saturday.
Loyola will stick with invitational pool play against Glenbrook South on Tuesday and Hinsdale Central on Thursday, and the placing round Saturday.
Starting lineups
Barrington
GK- Samantha Schmitz
D- Madi Rosen
D- Kayla Keck
D- Haley Tausend
D- Jackie Batliner
M- Sophia Spinnell
M- Sydney Bowling
M- Michayla Herr
M- Lauren Caffe
F- Ellie Stodola
F- Ashley Prell
Loyola
GK- Maggie Avery
D- Faith Craddock
D- Emily Chrisman
D- Bella Broccolo
D- Lauren Daffada
M- Stephanie Ramsey
M- Ally West
M- Cate Shellenback
M- Vanessa Murray
F- Maggie Brett
F- Anna Perona
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Jackie Batliner, sr., D, Barrington
Officials: Benyamin Rommel (center); Dorin Babolea (assistant); Mike Valsamis (assistant)