Carmel doubles its
pleasure against Fenwick
Runyan twins each score to lead Corsairs to 3-0 ESCC win
By Steve Millar
RIVER FOREST -- McKenzie and Megan Runyan are two of the most active players on Carmel’s attack, but prior to Wednesday, the senior twins had each scored in the same game just once in their high school careers.
Make that twice.
Both scored, and McKenzie added an assist, as the Corsairs topped host Fenwick 3-0 in an East Suburban Catholic contest.
“Whenever a twin duo each gets a goal or an assist, that’s pretty fun,” McKenzie said. “It’s rare that we both score, but fun.”
Megan scored the team’s first goal, but was just as excited to see her twin score the team’s second.
“It’s always a great moment when either of us scores,” Megan said. “We don’t get many opportunities to both score in the same game, so it’s nice to see that. We always work so hard together so it’s nice to see it work in a game. We’re really proud of it.”
The twins combined to put the Corsairs (5-1-1, 2-0) on the board first in the 18th minute.
Off a deep throw-in, McKenzie collected the ball near the corner and set a pass to Megan in the middle of the field where she finished with a high shot past Fenwick goalkeeper Lexi Rodriguez (4 saves).
“Keeping possession was a big factor with the field and conditions,” Megan said, describing a windy day and a grass field that had help up well, but was a little battered by recent rains. “We wanted to make sure that when we got our chances, we finished.”
The Corsairs, with the wind at their backs, were on the attack for most of the first half, but it appeared Fenwick (1-3, 0-1) might escape to halftime down just 1-0.
That changed, though, in the closing seconds of the first half. Off a corner, Kayla Handal sent a cross into the middle of the box, where a wild scramble ensued.
Carmel’s Emma Kobitter ended up poking the ball towards McKenzie Runyan, who had camped out at the near post and tapped it in for a 2-0 lead with 17 seconds left before the break.
“We had a good service to the box. Emma deflected it, and I just happened to get the last touch,” McKenzie Runyan said. “It was just good positioning and good timing. I was happy.”
Carmel coach John Halloran was equally thrilled to see both the Runyan twins find the back of the net.
“I didn’t realize that was only the second time they both scored in a game,” he said. “That’s pretty cool.
“They’re both players that can do a lot technically, and they’re smart technically. Megan plays a more simple style and does a nice job controlling the midfield for us. Mackenzie gives us a really good work-rate up top and creates a lot of danger in terms of scoring.”
The Corsairs back line of Kobitter, Haley Miller and Mary Beth Murphy did the job from there, limiting Fenwick to just one shot on goal for goalkeeper Christina O’Block to deal with.
“I think the defense just needed to possess the ball in the back,” Miller said. “We were working a lot on shape and just making sure we pressed and covered, kept our composure. Our communication is pretty good in the back, and that helps a lot.”
Carmel had to hold off a fury of activity from the Friars in the second half to keep the shutout intact.
Fenwick had three corner kicks and two free kicks from striking distance in the second half, but came up empty.
O’Block didn’t have many shots to deal with, but she made her presence felt on a number of occasions, smothering balls in the box to kill Fenwick chances.
Murphy made a tremendous play to keep the shutout intact with just over 24 minutes to go. Fenwick’s Lauren Stibich got behind the Corsairs defense off a long Friars goal kick and appeared to be in on a breakaway.
Murphy, though, closed on her and was able to prevent a shot on goal.
“I think our back line did a good job defending counters because they were dangerous on the break,” Halloran said. “Our midfield has been top-notch all year and that’s kind of our strength.
"Then it was just a matter of our forwards putting a couple chances in because we were a little wasteful and didn’t get very good service from the flank. We didn’t get the ball into dangerous areas enough, but we capitalized when we did.”
Fenwick coach Robert Watson was happier with his team’s effort in the second half, albeit disappointed with the outcome.
“We settled down a bit, and we were able to use our weapons in the second half and put some pressure on them, which we didn’t do much in the first half," he said. "We didn’t score, which would have been nice obviously, but we did some good things. We’re playing without Colette (Jaslowski), and that hurts us a lot. She runs the show for us in the midfield, and we’re struggling some without her.
“Carmel is a great team, and we knew that coming in. They’re going to do some things this year.”
Angela Salvi added the icing on the cake for the Corsairs, scoring off a MacKenzie Sheehan assist with 2:25 to go to make it 3-0.
“This win was vital,” Halloran said. “Coming down here is never easy. The drive is never easy. Playing at Fenwick is always one of the toughest games (in conference). So to get this one out of the way is great, but there’s still a long way to go in league play. We’ve got a lot of tough games left.”
There’s a long way to go, but a 2-0 start sure is nice.
“I think it’s important to get off to a fast start,” Miller said. “We don’t want to have to play catch-up late. We want to be able to control our own fate.”
Starting lineups
Carmel
GK: Christina O’Block
D: Emma Kobitter
D: Mary Beth Murphy
D: Haley Miller
M: Mandi Lasso
M: MacKenzie Sheehan
M: Kayla Handel
M: Megan Runyan
M: Angela Salvi
F: Erin Johnston
F: McKenzie Runyan
Fenwick
GK: Lexi Rodriguez
D: Lauren Bielat
D: Sydney Jensen
D: Rylee Brennan
D: Tara Wilson
M: Caitlin Josephs
M: Kaylie Fredian
M: Quinn Reilly
M: Mary Nettleton
F: Alysia Beirne
F: Lauren Stibich
MVP of the Match: McKenzie Runyan, F, Carmel
Officials: Isreal Bustamant, Hector Santa Cruz, Ray Zaragoza
pleasure against Fenwick
Runyan twins each score to lead Corsairs to 3-0 ESCC win
By Steve Millar
RIVER FOREST -- McKenzie and Megan Runyan are two of the most active players on Carmel’s attack, but prior to Wednesday, the senior twins had each scored in the same game just once in their high school careers.
Make that twice.
Both scored, and McKenzie added an assist, as the Corsairs topped host Fenwick 3-0 in an East Suburban Catholic contest.
“Whenever a twin duo each gets a goal or an assist, that’s pretty fun,” McKenzie said. “It’s rare that we both score, but fun.”
Megan scored the team’s first goal, but was just as excited to see her twin score the team’s second.
“It’s always a great moment when either of us scores,” Megan said. “We don’t get many opportunities to both score in the same game, so it’s nice to see that. We always work so hard together so it’s nice to see it work in a game. We’re really proud of it.”
The twins combined to put the Corsairs (5-1-1, 2-0) on the board first in the 18th minute.
Off a deep throw-in, McKenzie collected the ball near the corner and set a pass to Megan in the middle of the field where she finished with a high shot past Fenwick goalkeeper Lexi Rodriguez (4 saves).
“Keeping possession was a big factor with the field and conditions,” Megan said, describing a windy day and a grass field that had help up well, but was a little battered by recent rains. “We wanted to make sure that when we got our chances, we finished.”
The Corsairs, with the wind at their backs, were on the attack for most of the first half, but it appeared Fenwick (1-3, 0-1) might escape to halftime down just 1-0.
That changed, though, in the closing seconds of the first half. Off a corner, Kayla Handal sent a cross into the middle of the box, where a wild scramble ensued.
Carmel’s Emma Kobitter ended up poking the ball towards McKenzie Runyan, who had camped out at the near post and tapped it in for a 2-0 lead with 17 seconds left before the break.
“We had a good service to the box. Emma deflected it, and I just happened to get the last touch,” McKenzie Runyan said. “It was just good positioning and good timing. I was happy.”
Carmel coach John Halloran was equally thrilled to see both the Runyan twins find the back of the net.
“I didn’t realize that was only the second time they both scored in a game,” he said. “That’s pretty cool.
“They’re both players that can do a lot technically, and they’re smart technically. Megan plays a more simple style and does a nice job controlling the midfield for us. Mackenzie gives us a really good work-rate up top and creates a lot of danger in terms of scoring.”
The Corsairs back line of Kobitter, Haley Miller and Mary Beth Murphy did the job from there, limiting Fenwick to just one shot on goal for goalkeeper Christina O’Block to deal with.
“I think the defense just needed to possess the ball in the back,” Miller said. “We were working a lot on shape and just making sure we pressed and covered, kept our composure. Our communication is pretty good in the back, and that helps a lot.”
Carmel had to hold off a fury of activity from the Friars in the second half to keep the shutout intact.
Fenwick had three corner kicks and two free kicks from striking distance in the second half, but came up empty.
O’Block didn’t have many shots to deal with, but she made her presence felt on a number of occasions, smothering balls in the box to kill Fenwick chances.
Murphy made a tremendous play to keep the shutout intact with just over 24 minutes to go. Fenwick’s Lauren Stibich got behind the Corsairs defense off a long Friars goal kick and appeared to be in on a breakaway.
Murphy, though, closed on her and was able to prevent a shot on goal.
“I think our back line did a good job defending counters because they were dangerous on the break,” Halloran said. “Our midfield has been top-notch all year and that’s kind of our strength.
"Then it was just a matter of our forwards putting a couple chances in because we were a little wasteful and didn’t get very good service from the flank. We didn’t get the ball into dangerous areas enough, but we capitalized when we did.”
Fenwick coach Robert Watson was happier with his team’s effort in the second half, albeit disappointed with the outcome.
“We settled down a bit, and we were able to use our weapons in the second half and put some pressure on them, which we didn’t do much in the first half," he said. "We didn’t score, which would have been nice obviously, but we did some good things. We’re playing without Colette (Jaslowski), and that hurts us a lot. She runs the show for us in the midfield, and we’re struggling some without her.
“Carmel is a great team, and we knew that coming in. They’re going to do some things this year.”
Angela Salvi added the icing on the cake for the Corsairs, scoring off a MacKenzie Sheehan assist with 2:25 to go to make it 3-0.
“This win was vital,” Halloran said. “Coming down here is never easy. The drive is never easy. Playing at Fenwick is always one of the toughest games (in conference). So to get this one out of the way is great, but there’s still a long way to go in league play. We’ve got a lot of tough games left.”
There’s a long way to go, but a 2-0 start sure is nice.
“I think it’s important to get off to a fast start,” Miller said. “We don’t want to have to play catch-up late. We want to be able to control our own fate.”
Starting lineups
Carmel
GK: Christina O’Block
D: Emma Kobitter
D: Mary Beth Murphy
D: Haley Miller
M: Mandi Lasso
M: MacKenzie Sheehan
M: Kayla Handel
M: Megan Runyan
M: Angela Salvi
F: Erin Johnston
F: McKenzie Runyan
Fenwick
GK: Lexi Rodriguez
D: Lauren Bielat
D: Sydney Jensen
D: Rylee Brennan
D: Tara Wilson
M: Caitlin Josephs
M: Kaylie Fredian
M: Quinn Reilly
M: Mary Nettleton
F: Alysia Beirne
F: Lauren Stibich
MVP of the Match: McKenzie Runyan, F, Carmel
Officials: Isreal Bustamant, Hector Santa Cruz, Ray Zaragoza