Deerfield shows toughness in win over Taft
Warriors open Glenbrook Cup with 5-0 win
By Rusty Silber
NORTHBROOK -- Playing hard is the only way to compete on the soccer field. How else can a team turn a game in its favor?
For Deerfield's defender Devyn Compisi, her hard-nosed effort earned her a hit on the right side of her face early in the Warriors' opening match of the Glenbrook Cup on Friday afternoon at the Techny Prairie Park athletic fields.
Undeterred, she went on to score off a corner kick a short time later.
The goal started a winning afternoon for Deerfield, which went on to defeat Taft 5-0 in the tournament’s opening round of 16.
After the game Compisi was left with a reminder of the collision.
"I actually got headed in the face, and I'm OK," said the tough-minded Compisi who had ice on the spot for a period of time. "A girl from the other team, we went up for a header, and we made contact with each other.
“It happened when I was on defense, I tried to head the ball, and she tried to head it at the same time. She just hit my head pretty much. I don't think anybody likes to get hit in the head. If it stops the ball from getting to the goal, then I'm willing to take a hit.
"It seems like everybody gets bumped around the field. It's an aggressive game and a contact sport. We know what we’re getting into when we get started. Of course nobody really likes it, but we're all used to it, and I'm OK with it."
Minutes after the mishap, Compisi showed her scoring ability and finished in front of the goal on a Melanie Imyak corner kick serve with 26 minutes left in the first half.
"I've always wanted to get a goal," said Compisi, who earned Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match honor. "I've been trying to get more goals this season than last year. I didn't know it was going to happen.
“I saw it coming. So I stuck my foot in, got around the defender and scored."
In recent years, Compisi was a midfielder for the Warriors, but because of graduation of a number of defenders and the loss of Sydney Fleishman to an injury, she's taken on a big role on defense.
"I've got pushed back to the center back position which is a new spot for me," she said. "I really didn't think I would like it as much as I do. But I think that I'm better at it than I thought I would be.
"We had to make a lot of adjustments on defense this year, and we had injuries. I think we're playing well with all the distractions and all the bumps along the way. We're all a good fit, and we're not afraid to yell at one another to get your point across."
Backliners Molli Goodman, Julia Harlan, and Ashley Morgan make up the Warriors defense along with goalkeeper Karly Morris
The pressure on the quartet lessened the more their teammates scored.
In the 17-minute mark, Deerfield’s Shayna Wood netted a goal off a pass slotted from Lauren Goodsnyder for a 2-0 advantage.
The Warriors added three more goals in the second half. Goodsnyder scored in the 42nd minute off an assist from Julia Neal that made the score 3-0.
Marissa Hyland scored an unassisted goal in the 44th minute, and Rachel Levin added the final goal on Neal's second assist.
Deerfield coach Rich Grady was able to get many in his squad playing time against Taft (9-4-1).
"It was good to see a number of players that haven't played at the varsity level before," Deerfield coach Rich Grady said. "I thought they all did well. I thought we did a good job of finishing on corners.
“I'm reasonably happy, but there’s still some stuff to work on with defensive communication and clearing the balls out of the back when they are played in the air. It's all a work in progress and a good first game of the tournament."
Deerfield (6-5-3) has put together three-consecutive shutout wins that ended a 2-5-0 rough patch in the season. The Warriors beat Grant 5-0 on April 22 and Central Suburban League North Division foe Maine East 8-0 on Tuesday.
The tournament win gave Deerfield a date with Crystal Lake Central in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Saturday at Glenbrook South. A victory there would gain a likely semifinal match against Glenbrook South. The final is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Techny fields.
Starting lineups
Taft
GK-Maxine Brooker
D-Evi Olidashi
D-Nikki Gorder
D-Hallie Pallucca
D-Yaileen Carvajal
MF-Denise Carvajal
MF-Amina Ahmetovic
MF-Olivia Harcank
MF-Cynthia Gonazlez
F-Danielle Huber-Vazquez
F-Danielle Iozefczek
Deerfield
GK-Karley Morris
D-Molli Goodman
D-Devyn Compisi
D-Julia Harlan
D-Ashley Morgan
MF-Mallori Killoren
MF-Melani Imyak
MF-Mirelle Haas
F-Chloe Cappas
F-Erin Rosenzweig
F-Marissa Hyland
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Devyn Compisi, jr., D, Deerfield
Warriors open Glenbrook Cup with 5-0 win
By Rusty Silber
NORTHBROOK -- Playing hard is the only way to compete on the soccer field. How else can a team turn a game in its favor?
For Deerfield's defender Devyn Compisi, her hard-nosed effort earned her a hit on the right side of her face early in the Warriors' opening match of the Glenbrook Cup on Friday afternoon at the Techny Prairie Park athletic fields.
Undeterred, she went on to score off a corner kick a short time later.
The goal started a winning afternoon for Deerfield, which went on to defeat Taft 5-0 in the tournament’s opening round of 16.
After the game Compisi was left with a reminder of the collision.
"I actually got headed in the face, and I'm OK," said the tough-minded Compisi who had ice on the spot for a period of time. "A girl from the other team, we went up for a header, and we made contact with each other.
“It happened when I was on defense, I tried to head the ball, and she tried to head it at the same time. She just hit my head pretty much. I don't think anybody likes to get hit in the head. If it stops the ball from getting to the goal, then I'm willing to take a hit.
"It seems like everybody gets bumped around the field. It's an aggressive game and a contact sport. We know what we’re getting into when we get started. Of course nobody really likes it, but we're all used to it, and I'm OK with it."
Minutes after the mishap, Compisi showed her scoring ability and finished in front of the goal on a Melanie Imyak corner kick serve with 26 minutes left in the first half.
"I've always wanted to get a goal," said Compisi, who earned Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of the Match honor. "I've been trying to get more goals this season than last year. I didn't know it was going to happen.
“I saw it coming. So I stuck my foot in, got around the defender and scored."
In recent years, Compisi was a midfielder for the Warriors, but because of graduation of a number of defenders and the loss of Sydney Fleishman to an injury, she's taken on a big role on defense.
"I've got pushed back to the center back position which is a new spot for me," she said. "I really didn't think I would like it as much as I do. But I think that I'm better at it than I thought I would be.
"We had to make a lot of adjustments on defense this year, and we had injuries. I think we're playing well with all the distractions and all the bumps along the way. We're all a good fit, and we're not afraid to yell at one another to get your point across."
Backliners Molli Goodman, Julia Harlan, and Ashley Morgan make up the Warriors defense along with goalkeeper Karly Morris
The pressure on the quartet lessened the more their teammates scored.
In the 17-minute mark, Deerfield’s Shayna Wood netted a goal off a pass slotted from Lauren Goodsnyder for a 2-0 advantage.
The Warriors added three more goals in the second half. Goodsnyder scored in the 42nd minute off an assist from Julia Neal that made the score 3-0.
Marissa Hyland scored an unassisted goal in the 44th minute, and Rachel Levin added the final goal on Neal's second assist.
Deerfield coach Rich Grady was able to get many in his squad playing time against Taft (9-4-1).
"It was good to see a number of players that haven't played at the varsity level before," Deerfield coach Rich Grady said. "I thought they all did well. I thought we did a good job of finishing on corners.
“I'm reasonably happy, but there’s still some stuff to work on with defensive communication and clearing the balls out of the back when they are played in the air. It's all a work in progress and a good first game of the tournament."
Deerfield (6-5-3) has put together three-consecutive shutout wins that ended a 2-5-0 rough patch in the season. The Warriors beat Grant 5-0 on April 22 and Central Suburban League North Division foe Maine East 8-0 on Tuesday.
The tournament win gave Deerfield a date with Crystal Lake Central in the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. Saturday at Glenbrook South. A victory there would gain a likely semifinal match against Glenbrook South. The final is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Techny fields.
Starting lineups
Taft
GK-Maxine Brooker
D-Evi Olidashi
D-Nikki Gorder
D-Hallie Pallucca
D-Yaileen Carvajal
MF-Denise Carvajal
MF-Amina Ahmetovic
MF-Olivia Harcank
MF-Cynthia Gonazlez
F-Danielle Huber-Vazquez
F-Danielle Iozefczek
Deerfield
GK-Karley Morris
D-Molli Goodman
D-Devyn Compisi
D-Julia Harlan
D-Ashley Morgan
MF-Mallori Killoren
MF-Melani Imyak
MF-Mirelle Haas
F-Chloe Cappas
F-Erin Rosenzweig
F-Marissa Hyland
Chicagoland Soccer MVP of the Match: Devyn Compisi, jr., D, Deerfield