Hoffman Estates slips past Elk Grove
Host Hawks top Grenadiers on second half free kick
By Ken Keenan
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- With a steady downpour making for a slick field, the host Hawks managed to slip away with a 1-0 victory over Elk Grove in Mid-Suburban League action on Friday night.
Senior defender Jennie Nailor delivered the winning blow, blasting a
free kick past Elk Grove junior goalkeeper Cassie Slattery with 15:29
remaining in the second half. Nailor -- Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of
the Match -- nailed a solid, left-footed kick from a deep angle on the
left side to break the deadlock.
"My goal on that kick was to get it in front," Nailor said. "I knew it
was slippery, so I put it on and was hoping -- and it went in."
Hawks coach Ralph Tooren said it appeared that Nailor's shot may have
fooled Slattery.
"She struck a tricky ball for the goalkeeper to handle," said Tooren,
who saw his club improve to 3-6-1 overall and 3-3-1 in MSL play. "I
feel bad for (Slattery), but I'm very happy with the way we played.
The defense was solid, and the midfielders and forwards were holding
and distributing."
Hoffman Estates controlled play for most of the match, leading to
several opportunities for the Hawks' offense. Slattery handled
everything she could get her hands on, but Nailor's rising shot
rocketed over the keeper's head.
"It seems Hoffman Estates was not that dangerous, but our goalkeeper
had to handle the ball more, and that one shot squeaked in," said
Grenadiers coach Dan Klaus.
Indeed, Slattery was a busy bee. In the sixth minute, she stopped
Hawks senior defender Tori Tompkins, who fired a hard shot from 25
yards out following a nice passing sequence among senior midfielder
Ale Alonso, sophomore middie Anna Sall and freshman mid Vanessa
Bonilla. With 18 minutes to go in the first half, Slattery stopped a
bending shot by Hoffman Estates sophomore forward Natalie Nagrant, and
then grabbed a high shot by Nailor in the 31st minute.
Seven minutes into the second half, Slattery knocked down a 30-yard
blast by Hawks senior defender Jessica Miller, who charged through the
Elk Grove defense before releasing the shot. Forty seconds later, a
long free kick by Nailor squirted off Slattery's hands; another 40
seconds elapsed before Sall was stopped on another long drive.
"The wetness was a factor," Nailor said. "The ball took weird bounces,
and it was hard to judge. And long balls would skip away -- too long."
Alonso and Tooren agreed that the wet conditions played havoc with possessions.
"It was really hard to control the ball, so were trying to pass to
feet," Alonso said. "Once Jenny (Nailor) scored, we had more
confidence."
Added Tooren: "With this weather, you don't know what can happen -- so
slick and unpredictable. But we were on the better side of things."
The Hawks didn't let up on the attack following Nailor's goal, and a
20-yard shot by junior midfielder Sharon Lopez with two minutes left
in regulation forced Slattery to make a leaping save.
Elk Grove's handful of chances included a 15-yard shot by junior defender Ally
Czyzewski in the 50th minute, and a rebound attempt by junior
midfielder Liz McDaniel in the 72nd minute that Hawks junior keeper
Francesca Van knocked away during a scramble in close.
"We made a decent push toward the end, but we have to have a sense of
urgency the whole game," said Klaus, who watched the Grenadiers fall
to 2-8-1 overall and 1-5-1 in the MSL with the loss. "Things were going better than they
have been, but it wasn't enough. And we're not much for moral
victories."
In the first half, Nailor spoiled any possible Elk Grove opportunities
with a strong defensive presence in front of Slattery. Nailor was
quick to spring the Hawks on the counterattack as well, sharply
clearing the ball to freshman midfielders Vanessa Bonilla and Molly
Salerno on consecutive plays in the 23rd minute, and dancing through
the Grenadiers 'D' before losing the ball in traffic with 22 minutes
to go in Period 2.
"(Nailor is) 100 percent solid all the time," Tooren said. "She's
dependable when she has the ball, and she's a calming presence in the
back. And I thought (Alonso) was strong on the ball and very creative.
She can keep it or lay it on to someone else."
In defeat, Elk Grove freshman midfielder Emma Simmons drew similar
praise from her skipper.
"Emma was a bright spot ... did a real solid job, especially in back,"
Klaus said.
"Once we did get the ball, it was hard to get back on attack," Simmons
said. "Mostly, our passes weren't that good. Our balls need to be
better on offense."
For Hoffman Estates, the best ball of the night provided just enough
traction for the Hawks to slide off the field with a 'W.'
Starting lineups
Elk Grove
GK: Cassie Slattery
D: Jackie Benitez
D: Emma Slattery
D: Alexis Olague
M: Liz McDaniel
M: Bailey Smola
M: Kelly Walter
M: Zoe Blomquist
M: Isabel Michniak
M: Emma Simmons
F: Leila Aguilar
Hoffman Estates
GK: Francesca Van
D: Tori Tompkins
D: Jennie Nailor
D: Becca Salerno
D: Jessica Miller
M: Anna Sall
M: Vanessa Bonilla
M: Sharon Lopez
M: Ale Alonso
M: Erin Hanson
F: Natalie Nagrant
MVP of the Match: Jennie Nailor, D, Hoffman Estates
Host Hawks top Grenadiers on second half free kick
By Ken Keenan
HOFFMAN ESTATES -- With a steady downpour making for a slick field, the host Hawks managed to slip away with a 1-0 victory over Elk Grove in Mid-Suburban League action on Friday night.
Senior defender Jennie Nailor delivered the winning blow, blasting a
free kick past Elk Grove junior goalkeeper Cassie Slattery with 15:29
remaining in the second half. Nailor -- Chicagoland Soccer's MVP of
the Match -- nailed a solid, left-footed kick from a deep angle on the
left side to break the deadlock.
"My goal on that kick was to get it in front," Nailor said. "I knew it
was slippery, so I put it on and was hoping -- and it went in."
Hawks coach Ralph Tooren said it appeared that Nailor's shot may have
fooled Slattery.
"She struck a tricky ball for the goalkeeper to handle," said Tooren,
who saw his club improve to 3-6-1 overall and 3-3-1 in MSL play. "I
feel bad for (Slattery), but I'm very happy with the way we played.
The defense was solid, and the midfielders and forwards were holding
and distributing."
Hoffman Estates controlled play for most of the match, leading to
several opportunities for the Hawks' offense. Slattery handled
everything she could get her hands on, but Nailor's rising shot
rocketed over the keeper's head.
"It seems Hoffman Estates was not that dangerous, but our goalkeeper
had to handle the ball more, and that one shot squeaked in," said
Grenadiers coach Dan Klaus.
Indeed, Slattery was a busy bee. In the sixth minute, she stopped
Hawks senior defender Tori Tompkins, who fired a hard shot from 25
yards out following a nice passing sequence among senior midfielder
Ale Alonso, sophomore middie Anna Sall and freshman mid Vanessa
Bonilla. With 18 minutes to go in the first half, Slattery stopped a
bending shot by Hoffman Estates sophomore forward Natalie Nagrant, and
then grabbed a high shot by Nailor in the 31st minute.
Seven minutes into the second half, Slattery knocked down a 30-yard
blast by Hawks senior defender Jessica Miller, who charged through the
Elk Grove defense before releasing the shot. Forty seconds later, a
long free kick by Nailor squirted off Slattery's hands; another 40
seconds elapsed before Sall was stopped on another long drive.
"The wetness was a factor," Nailor said. "The ball took weird bounces,
and it was hard to judge. And long balls would skip away -- too long."
Alonso and Tooren agreed that the wet conditions played havoc with possessions.
"It was really hard to control the ball, so were trying to pass to
feet," Alonso said. "Once Jenny (Nailor) scored, we had more
confidence."
Added Tooren: "With this weather, you don't know what can happen -- so
slick and unpredictable. But we were on the better side of things."
The Hawks didn't let up on the attack following Nailor's goal, and a
20-yard shot by junior midfielder Sharon Lopez with two minutes left
in regulation forced Slattery to make a leaping save.
Elk Grove's handful of chances included a 15-yard shot by junior defender Ally
Czyzewski in the 50th minute, and a rebound attempt by junior
midfielder Liz McDaniel in the 72nd minute that Hawks junior keeper
Francesca Van knocked away during a scramble in close.
"We made a decent push toward the end, but we have to have a sense of
urgency the whole game," said Klaus, who watched the Grenadiers fall
to 2-8-1 overall and 1-5-1 in the MSL with the loss. "Things were going better than they
have been, but it wasn't enough. And we're not much for moral
victories."
In the first half, Nailor spoiled any possible Elk Grove opportunities
with a strong defensive presence in front of Slattery. Nailor was
quick to spring the Hawks on the counterattack as well, sharply
clearing the ball to freshman midfielders Vanessa Bonilla and Molly
Salerno on consecutive plays in the 23rd minute, and dancing through
the Grenadiers 'D' before losing the ball in traffic with 22 minutes
to go in Period 2.
"(Nailor is) 100 percent solid all the time," Tooren said. "She's
dependable when she has the ball, and she's a calming presence in the
back. And I thought (Alonso) was strong on the ball and very creative.
She can keep it or lay it on to someone else."
In defeat, Elk Grove freshman midfielder Emma Simmons drew similar
praise from her skipper.
"Emma was a bright spot ... did a real solid job, especially in back,"
Klaus said.
"Once we did get the ball, it was hard to get back on attack," Simmons
said. "Mostly, our passes weren't that good. Our balls need to be
better on offense."
For Hoffman Estates, the best ball of the night provided just enough
traction for the Hawks to slide off the field with a 'W.'
Starting lineups
Elk Grove
GK: Cassie Slattery
D: Jackie Benitez
D: Emma Slattery
D: Alexis Olague
M: Liz McDaniel
M: Bailey Smola
M: Kelly Walter
M: Zoe Blomquist
M: Isabel Michniak
M: Emma Simmons
F: Leila Aguilar
Hoffman Estates
GK: Francesca Van
D: Tori Tompkins
D: Jennie Nailor
D: Becca Salerno
D: Jessica Miller
M: Anna Sall
M: Vanessa Bonilla
M: Sharon Lopez
M: Ale Alonso
M: Erin Hanson
F: Natalie Nagrant
MVP of the Match: Jennie Nailor, D, Hoffman Estates