Carmel makes strong statement vs. Benet
Corsairs hand defending champs 2nd league loss in sharp 5-2 win
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- So far up to this part of the season, Carmel hasn't seen many things go in the best of directions.
However, some adjustments have changed the focus on the field and made the Corsairs a better club. Senior Angie Salvi is a big difference in the change. Part of what she's trying to do involved the loss of Corsairs' midfield mate Abby Potter, a three-year varsity player who tore her ACL against Warren on April 4.
Potter sat on the sideline Wednesday after recent surgery to repair her knee. The best part of that scene was that she had a smile on her face from what she saw her teammates accomplish against Benet on Wednesday afternoon on their home grass field.
Carmel (4-4-1, 2-0-0) remained unbeaten in the East Suburban Catholic Conference play with a 5-2 upset victory over Benet.
Salvi showed her leadership with a goal and an assist as well as being the catalyst for another score. But her efforts weren't limited to scoring -- she helped her club run like a well-organized unit. The University of Vermont recruit's efforts were more then enough for her to earn recognition as Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
"A lot of the attack does come from me," Salvi said. "I'm contributing ... distributing and setting people up for goals. I think it's very important setting up our formation. Obviously, not having Abby (Potter) really hurt us. But it makes Shanon (Murphy) and I work harder defensively. (Shanon) has really stepped up since Abby got injured."
The best part of Salvi's game is what she can do with the ball.
"It's pretty important setting up the goals," said Salvi, who now has 3 goals and 3 assists on the season. "I thought I did a really good job of it. I wanted to slow the game down a bit, looking for a player with a through-ball. I was looking to make a play as opposed to kicking it."
The victory put Carmel in a strong position in the fight for a conference crown. The Corsairs and Saint Viator (2-0-0) are the only undefeated teams remaining in the ESCC. The win over Benet handed the Redwings their second league loss and severely damaged their hope to repeat as conference champs.
"It's a great win!" Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "It's been a while since we've been able to get a win against them. It's a good feeling.
"We knew that this one would be a big game. So far we've been working for that kind of match in the ESCC. Winning the conference is a major goal of ours this season. Now we've got the team in the place that we want. So we can go for there."
Carmel had a lot of success finding ways to score against Chicagoland Soccer's 20th-ranked team.
"Our overall goal is to get dangerous on set pieces," Krawzak said. "We were able to score on a corner right away. Then we got another one a littler later."
The Corsairs wasted little time in their quest for the win -- they scored in the second minute. Kathleen Graham sent a corner that found the head of Ciara Thomas for a 1-0 lead.
Benet responded and tied the game in the 15th minute. Katie Gesior took advantage of a Corsairs' mistake in the back and found the back of net.
Each team followed up with chances for goals. Carmel's Skyler Thomas hit the post before Benet defender Mary Kate Wilhelm cleared the ball out of trouble in the 17th minute.
Then it was the Redwings' turn. Geisor's free kick from outside the box to the left was lined wide of the near post.
In the 35th minute Salvi set up the lead goal off a free kick. She sent a ball inside the box, and Graham ran on to the ball drawing a number of Redwings players. The composed junior guided a pass back to the top for Harmon who finished for a 2-1 Corsairs lead.
Graham gave Carmel a two-goal edge in the 48th minute after taking a pass from Salvi.
However, Benet cut the margin within one at 3-2. Erin Flynn's shot was stopped by Carmel keeper Sophia Sarkis (6 saves). Mia Tommasone ran on to the loose ball and converted on the rebound in the 57th minute.
After that, the Redwings found a few openings for a game-tying goal, but the Corsairs recovered and denied the chances.
"(Carmel) played more man-to-man in the back instead of zone," Flynn said. "They were one of the tougher teams; we just have to work on finishing."
The Corsairs scored two more times to put the match out of reach. Murphy had an unassisted goal in the 60th minute and Salvi tallied a goal off the post from a Jen Cutro pass.
The loss ended Benet's five-game winning streaks and dropped their league mark to a disappointing 3-2-0.
"Every time we got in the final 18, when we had that final opportunity, they did just enough to get a body on us," said Benet coach Gerard Oconer. "They poked the ball away from us and just defended very well.
"They clogged up the middle; they were physical with us. They just made it very tough for us to play through. Over the last couple of games we haven't had that many opportunities. So it made it a bit tougher in this one."
A lot of the credit for the win goes to the Corsairs' defense, which stood up to the Redwings attack. The backline of Ali Cepon, Haley Miller, Lily Sykes and Thomas was up to the challenge.
"One of biggest strengths is our communication in the back and (coaxing) offsides," Sykes said. "I try to make sure that everyone is in a line. We just all work together stopping breakaways. By the end of the game we were man-marking, because that's what coach (Krawzak) wanted us to do. I thought it was working for us.
"We made some adjustments (on defense). I think we've found our back four now."
Carmel's next match is a conference road game against Marist at noon Saturday. Benet (7-3-0 overall) opens pool play in the prestigious Naperville Invitational against Oswego at 5 p.m. Friday at Naperville Central.
Starting lineups
Benet Academy
GK-Anna Keefe
D-Kate Ffynn
D-Mary Kate Hansen
D-Mary Kate Wilhelm
D-Clare Bumpus
MF-Abby Casmere
MF-Katie Gesior
MF-Maddie Becker
F-Erin Flynn
F-Nicole Burns
F-Betsy Keefe
Carmel
GK-Sophia Sarkis
D-Haley Miller
D-Ali Cepon
D-Lily Sykes
D-Ciara Thomas
MF-Angie Salvi
MF-Grace Nolan
MF-Shanon Murphy
MF-Kathleen Graham
F-Riley Harmon
F-Skyler Thomas
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Angie Salvi, sr., MF, Carmel
Officials: Dale Stefanski (center); Gary Cobert; Igotz Letucoy
Corsairs hand defending champs 2nd league loss in sharp 5-2 win
By Rusty Silber
MUNDELEIN -- So far up to this part of the season, Carmel hasn't seen many things go in the best of directions.
However, some adjustments have changed the focus on the field and made the Corsairs a better club. Senior Angie Salvi is a big difference in the change. Part of what she's trying to do involved the loss of Corsairs' midfield mate Abby Potter, a three-year varsity player who tore her ACL against Warren on April 4.
Potter sat on the sideline Wednesday after recent surgery to repair her knee. The best part of that scene was that she had a smile on her face from what she saw her teammates accomplish against Benet on Wednesday afternoon on their home grass field.
Carmel (4-4-1, 2-0-0) remained unbeaten in the East Suburban Catholic Conference play with a 5-2 upset victory over Benet.
Salvi showed her leadership with a goal and an assist as well as being the catalyst for another score. But her efforts weren't limited to scoring -- she helped her club run like a well-organized unit. The University of Vermont recruit's efforts were more then enough for her to earn recognition as Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match.
"A lot of the attack does come from me," Salvi said. "I'm contributing ... distributing and setting people up for goals. I think it's very important setting up our formation. Obviously, not having Abby (Potter) really hurt us. But it makes Shanon (Murphy) and I work harder defensively. (Shanon) has really stepped up since Abby got injured."
The best part of Salvi's game is what she can do with the ball.
"It's pretty important setting up the goals," said Salvi, who now has 3 goals and 3 assists on the season. "I thought I did a really good job of it. I wanted to slow the game down a bit, looking for a player with a through-ball. I was looking to make a play as opposed to kicking it."
The victory put Carmel in a strong position in the fight for a conference crown. The Corsairs and Saint Viator (2-0-0) are the only undefeated teams remaining in the ESCC. The win over Benet handed the Redwings their second league loss and severely damaged their hope to repeat as conference champs.
"It's a great win!" Carmel coach Ray Krawzak said. "It's been a while since we've been able to get a win against them. It's a good feeling.
"We knew that this one would be a big game. So far we've been working for that kind of match in the ESCC. Winning the conference is a major goal of ours this season. Now we've got the team in the place that we want. So we can go for there."
Carmel had a lot of success finding ways to score against Chicagoland Soccer's 20th-ranked team.
"Our overall goal is to get dangerous on set pieces," Krawzak said. "We were able to score on a corner right away. Then we got another one a littler later."
The Corsairs wasted little time in their quest for the win -- they scored in the second minute. Kathleen Graham sent a corner that found the head of Ciara Thomas for a 1-0 lead.
Benet responded and tied the game in the 15th minute. Katie Gesior took advantage of a Corsairs' mistake in the back and found the back of net.
Each team followed up with chances for goals. Carmel's Skyler Thomas hit the post before Benet defender Mary Kate Wilhelm cleared the ball out of trouble in the 17th minute.
Then it was the Redwings' turn. Geisor's free kick from outside the box to the left was lined wide of the near post.
In the 35th minute Salvi set up the lead goal off a free kick. She sent a ball inside the box, and Graham ran on to the ball drawing a number of Redwings players. The composed junior guided a pass back to the top for Harmon who finished for a 2-1 Corsairs lead.
Graham gave Carmel a two-goal edge in the 48th minute after taking a pass from Salvi.
However, Benet cut the margin within one at 3-2. Erin Flynn's shot was stopped by Carmel keeper Sophia Sarkis (6 saves). Mia Tommasone ran on to the loose ball and converted on the rebound in the 57th minute.
After that, the Redwings found a few openings for a game-tying goal, but the Corsairs recovered and denied the chances.
"(Carmel) played more man-to-man in the back instead of zone," Flynn said. "They were one of the tougher teams; we just have to work on finishing."
The Corsairs scored two more times to put the match out of reach. Murphy had an unassisted goal in the 60th minute and Salvi tallied a goal off the post from a Jen Cutro pass.
The loss ended Benet's five-game winning streaks and dropped their league mark to a disappointing 3-2-0.
"Every time we got in the final 18, when we had that final opportunity, they did just enough to get a body on us," said Benet coach Gerard Oconer. "They poked the ball away from us and just defended very well.
"They clogged up the middle; they were physical with us. They just made it very tough for us to play through. Over the last couple of games we haven't had that many opportunities. So it made it a bit tougher in this one."
A lot of the credit for the win goes to the Corsairs' defense, which stood up to the Redwings attack. The backline of Ali Cepon, Haley Miller, Lily Sykes and Thomas was up to the challenge.
"One of biggest strengths is our communication in the back and (coaxing) offsides," Sykes said. "I try to make sure that everyone is in a line. We just all work together stopping breakaways. By the end of the game we were man-marking, because that's what coach (Krawzak) wanted us to do. I thought it was working for us.
"We made some adjustments (on defense). I think we've found our back four now."
Carmel's next match is a conference road game against Marist at noon Saturday. Benet (7-3-0 overall) opens pool play in the prestigious Naperville Invitational against Oswego at 5 p.m. Friday at Naperville Central.
Starting lineups
Benet Academy
GK-Anna Keefe
D-Kate Ffynn
D-Mary Kate Hansen
D-Mary Kate Wilhelm
D-Clare Bumpus
MF-Abby Casmere
MF-Katie Gesior
MF-Maddie Becker
F-Erin Flynn
F-Nicole Burns
F-Betsy Keefe
Carmel
GK-Sophia Sarkis
D-Haley Miller
D-Ali Cepon
D-Lily Sykes
D-Ciara Thomas
MF-Angie Salvi
MF-Grace Nolan
MF-Shanon Murphy
MF-Kathleen Graham
F-Riley Harmon
F-Skyler Thomas
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Angie Salvi, sr., MF, Carmel
Officials: Dale Stefanski (center); Gary Cobert; Igotz Letucoy