Hersey shuts down
Buffalo Grove for MSL East title
Team defense, Wendell goals spark 2-0 result
By Mike Garofola
BUFFALO GROVE -- Hersey's recipe for success is quite simple.
Score first, then defend with all your might for 80 minutes. It was more of the same on Wednesday night as the Huskies followed its plan to pefection.
Darren Llewellyn's club marched into the 26th Mid-Suburban League Bowl after a convincing 2-0 victory at Grant Blaney Stadium in Buffalo Grove that ended the divisional hopes of the Bison, who needed three points from this match and some help on Friday in order to have a chance for late-season glory.
"This game was everything for us," began manager Pat Dudle from Buffalo Grove.
"We've been in playoff mode ever since those back-to-back losses to Conant, then Barrington, and got ourselves back into the MSL East despite all of our injuries, (but) Hersey was the better team for most of the night. Credit Darren and his team as they move on, and into next week's championship game."
Dudle and his staff had to know they might be in for it after a disastrous start. The Bison conceded the game-winner just four minutes into the match, and started a defensive chain reaction that the opponents of the Huskies have come to fear.
"Scoring first, and so early was huge. Then it allows us to do what we do so well here at Hersey - and that's defend," said senior, Kayla Knauss, who shared MVP of the Match honors with teammate Abby Wendell, who led a hard-working unit in the midifeld throughout the game.
The Huskies sprung their unwelcome suprise on their host, when Wendell steered in her 4th-minute shot past Cassie Berman, after the Bison (11-4-1, 7-3-0) failed to defend a corner originally initiated by Wendell, but kept alive by Grace Kozurek and Kelly Weyhrich.
Defensive mastery of its opponents, including the Bison on Wednesday, has been what the Huskies have managed to do all season long, conceding few, if any, goals.
"We defend so well as a team, have ever since I came to Hersey, and we've always had great keepers behind us, and it's something we all take pride in," Knauss said.
The Huskies (13-4-2, 9-0-1) did well in keeping the chances few and far between and didn't allow Buffalo Grove's offensive genius Sarah O'Connor (19 goals) much time or space. But her most important first-half contribution -- a controversial PK call from the center official -- led to what both managers called the turning point of the contest.
"I personally didn't feel it was the right call," begins Llewellyn, whose persistent chatter from the bench eventually saw him booked for dissent at 37 minutes.
"Sarah is a great player, and her run through was fantastic. But both of my defenders had a good angle on the ball, and Claire (Niemczyk) beat her to the ball. The way I saw it, she just went over (Claire) with their legs hitting, and (maybe) that's when she hurt her ankle and had to come off.
"Fortunately, Gritt makes the save on the PK a few minutes later - and that becomes the momentum shift we need - and the one Pat and his girls didn't."
Maria Hamilton stepped up and fired her attempt from the spot at Gritt, who made the key save.
"Claire made the big save, and that was the momentum killer," agreed Dudle.
Wendell, Weyhrich, Kozurek and Emma Slosar turned in a high work rate for most of the first half to stymie the creative talents of Jessica Kovach and Sara Busse, who had moments, but it not enough of them to pry open the Huskies in their own end.
"We planned on closing the middle with a triangle rotation, and make them play from angles," said Llewellyn.
"The girls work rate was very high, and we got position behind the ball quickly, and closed them down really well. That made all the difference in the middle of the park for us today."
Those factors hindered Buffalo Grove.
"We had a few spurts of good attacking soccer, but not enough, and Hersey does so well at keeping those chances to a minimum," Dudle said.
Kovach came close to connecting with Busse at the back post at the quarter hour, but Gritt saw the play unfolding, and came off her line quickly to pull down the well-aimed helper from the senior. A little later, Busse was put through by Georgette Topalis, only to have the tenacious Knauss in good position to tackle, and end that chance abruptly.
Sophomore Claire Callahan had an opportunity to double the Hersey advantage when Weyhrich sprung her free up the right side, but the striker fired her shot wide of Berman at 33 minutes.
Dudle opened with Topalis up top while O'Connor sat icing her ankle at the start of the second period. Kovach kept her teammate company on the bench.
The two-time, all-area midfielder has missed more than half of the matches this season with an injury, and her presence in the middle of the park is vital as the Bison looked to make the second half of its season a successful one.
Wendell put a dagger in the hearts of the Bison faithful when she converted from in close, after another chance come from her own corner. Knauss gave her teammate all the help she needed by redirecting a header back into the mix after the BG defense half-cleared the area following Wendell's corner.
O'Connor and Kovach returned a few minutes after Wendell's 46th minute goal, and while the speed of play, and urgency was turned up from the Bison, it wasn't enough to help the home side cut into its two-goal deficit.
Dudle threw caution to the wind and went three up top for the final quarter hour, but except for another Busse go on frame, and Topalis' strike at an open spot at the back post, the Bison were unable to solve the near water-tight Huskies, who expertly managed their lead well until the end to book a second-consecutive trip to the MSL Soccer Bowl.
"This is quite an amazing team," began Sara Magnuson, who has played all over the pitch for Llewellyn thus far. On Wednesday she worked the back line with Knauss, Niemczyk and Annie Korff.
"We lost Lauren Gierman, our two-time all-state midfielder, who we played nearly everything through for the past two years, but despite not having a DI star out there, we've succeeded with our great team chemistry, and desire to play unselfish soccer, and for, and with each other."
Starting lineups
Hersey
GK: Claire Gritt
D- Claire Niemeczyk
D- Kayla Knauss
D- Annie Korff
D- Sara Magnuson
MF- Grace Kozurek
MF- Emma Slosar
MF- Abby Wendell
MF- Kelly Weyhrich
F- Jessica Schmidt
F- Gina Miklasz
Buffalo Grove
GK: Cassie Berman
D- Gina Bolis
D- Maria Hamilton
D- Danielle Allaire
D- Katharine Hanner
MF- Sara Busse
MF- Jessica Kovich
MF- Georgett Topalis
MF- Courtney Lee
MF- Brittany Lee
F- Sarah O'Connor
Officials: Mike Balsamis (center); Mohammed Mustaq; Rafal Zielinski.
MVP of the Match
Kayla Knauss, D, Hersey
Abby Wendell, MF, Hersey
Buffalo Grove for MSL East title
Team defense, Wendell goals spark 2-0 result
By Mike Garofola
BUFFALO GROVE -- Hersey's recipe for success is quite simple.
Score first, then defend with all your might for 80 minutes. It was more of the same on Wednesday night as the Huskies followed its plan to pefection.
Darren Llewellyn's club marched into the 26th Mid-Suburban League Bowl after a convincing 2-0 victory at Grant Blaney Stadium in Buffalo Grove that ended the divisional hopes of the Bison, who needed three points from this match and some help on Friday in order to have a chance for late-season glory.
"This game was everything for us," began manager Pat Dudle from Buffalo Grove.
"We've been in playoff mode ever since those back-to-back losses to Conant, then Barrington, and got ourselves back into the MSL East despite all of our injuries, (but) Hersey was the better team for most of the night. Credit Darren and his team as they move on, and into next week's championship game."
Dudle and his staff had to know they might be in for it after a disastrous start. The Bison conceded the game-winner just four minutes into the match, and started a defensive chain reaction that the opponents of the Huskies have come to fear.
"Scoring first, and so early was huge. Then it allows us to do what we do so well here at Hersey - and that's defend," said senior, Kayla Knauss, who shared MVP of the Match honors with teammate Abby Wendell, who led a hard-working unit in the midifeld throughout the game.
The Huskies sprung their unwelcome suprise on their host, when Wendell steered in her 4th-minute shot past Cassie Berman, after the Bison (11-4-1, 7-3-0) failed to defend a corner originally initiated by Wendell, but kept alive by Grace Kozurek and Kelly Weyhrich.
Defensive mastery of its opponents, including the Bison on Wednesday, has been what the Huskies have managed to do all season long, conceding few, if any, goals.
"We defend so well as a team, have ever since I came to Hersey, and we've always had great keepers behind us, and it's something we all take pride in," Knauss said.
The Huskies (13-4-2, 9-0-1) did well in keeping the chances few and far between and didn't allow Buffalo Grove's offensive genius Sarah O'Connor (19 goals) much time or space. But her most important first-half contribution -- a controversial PK call from the center official -- led to what both managers called the turning point of the contest.
"I personally didn't feel it was the right call," begins Llewellyn, whose persistent chatter from the bench eventually saw him booked for dissent at 37 minutes.
"Sarah is a great player, and her run through was fantastic. But both of my defenders had a good angle on the ball, and Claire (Niemczyk) beat her to the ball. The way I saw it, she just went over (Claire) with their legs hitting, and (maybe) that's when she hurt her ankle and had to come off.
"Fortunately, Gritt makes the save on the PK a few minutes later - and that becomes the momentum shift we need - and the one Pat and his girls didn't."
Maria Hamilton stepped up and fired her attempt from the spot at Gritt, who made the key save.
"Claire made the big save, and that was the momentum killer," agreed Dudle.
Wendell, Weyhrich, Kozurek and Emma Slosar turned in a high work rate for most of the first half to stymie the creative talents of Jessica Kovach and Sara Busse, who had moments, but it not enough of them to pry open the Huskies in their own end.
"We planned on closing the middle with a triangle rotation, and make them play from angles," said Llewellyn.
"The girls work rate was very high, and we got position behind the ball quickly, and closed them down really well. That made all the difference in the middle of the park for us today."
Those factors hindered Buffalo Grove.
"We had a few spurts of good attacking soccer, but not enough, and Hersey does so well at keeping those chances to a minimum," Dudle said.
Kovach came close to connecting with Busse at the back post at the quarter hour, but Gritt saw the play unfolding, and came off her line quickly to pull down the well-aimed helper from the senior. A little later, Busse was put through by Georgette Topalis, only to have the tenacious Knauss in good position to tackle, and end that chance abruptly.
Sophomore Claire Callahan had an opportunity to double the Hersey advantage when Weyhrich sprung her free up the right side, but the striker fired her shot wide of Berman at 33 minutes.
Dudle opened with Topalis up top while O'Connor sat icing her ankle at the start of the second period. Kovach kept her teammate company on the bench.
The two-time, all-area midfielder has missed more than half of the matches this season with an injury, and her presence in the middle of the park is vital as the Bison looked to make the second half of its season a successful one.
Wendell put a dagger in the hearts of the Bison faithful when she converted from in close, after another chance come from her own corner. Knauss gave her teammate all the help she needed by redirecting a header back into the mix after the BG defense half-cleared the area following Wendell's corner.
O'Connor and Kovach returned a few minutes after Wendell's 46th minute goal, and while the speed of play, and urgency was turned up from the Bison, it wasn't enough to help the home side cut into its two-goal deficit.
Dudle threw caution to the wind and went three up top for the final quarter hour, but except for another Busse go on frame, and Topalis' strike at an open spot at the back post, the Bison were unable to solve the near water-tight Huskies, who expertly managed their lead well until the end to book a second-consecutive trip to the MSL Soccer Bowl.
"This is quite an amazing team," began Sara Magnuson, who has played all over the pitch for Llewellyn thus far. On Wednesday she worked the back line with Knauss, Niemczyk and Annie Korff.
"We lost Lauren Gierman, our two-time all-state midfielder, who we played nearly everything through for the past two years, but despite not having a DI star out there, we've succeeded with our great team chemistry, and desire to play unselfish soccer, and for, and with each other."
Starting lineups
Hersey
GK: Claire Gritt
D- Claire Niemeczyk
D- Kayla Knauss
D- Annie Korff
D- Sara Magnuson
MF- Grace Kozurek
MF- Emma Slosar
MF- Abby Wendell
MF- Kelly Weyhrich
F- Jessica Schmidt
F- Gina Miklasz
Buffalo Grove
GK: Cassie Berman
D- Gina Bolis
D- Maria Hamilton
D- Danielle Allaire
D- Katharine Hanner
MF- Sara Busse
MF- Jessica Kovich
MF- Georgett Topalis
MF- Courtney Lee
MF- Brittany Lee
F- Sarah O'Connor
Officials: Mike Balsamis (center); Mohammed Mustaq; Rafal Zielinski.
MVP of the Match
Kayla Knauss, D, Hersey
Abby Wendell, MF, Hersey